Sri Lanka reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Commonwealth partnerships through its active participation in the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2026), held from 1 to 4 November 2026 in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya led the Sri Lankan delegation to the meeting, convened under the theme “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth”.
Bringing together Heads of State and Government from the Commonwealth’s 56 member countries, the Summit provided an important platform to advance cooperation in trade and investment, digital transformation, climate resilience and youth empowerment. Sri Lanka’s participation enabled the country to advance its diplomatic, economic and development priorities while strengthening engagement with Commonwealth partners.
As part of her official engagements, Prime Minister Dr. Amarasuriya participated in the opening ceremony and Executive Sessions on 3 November, followed by the Commonwealth Heads and Business Leaders Breakfast Meeting and the Leaders’ Retreat on 4 November. On 2 November, she addressed high-level segments of the Commonwealth Women’s Forum, the Global Summit for Eye Health and the Commonwealth Leaders and CEOs’ Summit of the Commonwealth Business Forum, highlighting Sri Lanka’s achievements, policy priorities and opportunities for international cooperation in these areas.
Addressing the opening plenary of the Commonwealth Women’s Forum, held under the theme “Advancing Gender Equality: Investment in a Prosperous and Resilient Commonwealth”, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of women's leadership in building resilient societies and achieving sustainable development. She underscored the need to ensure women's meaningful participation in economic, social and political decision-making.
At the Global Summit for Eye Health, she highlighted Sri Lanka’s commitment to universal healthcare and equitable access to eye care services. She referred to the country’s public healthcare initiatives, including school-based vision screening programmes and the provision of spectacles to university students in need through the President’s Fund.
Addressing the Commonwealth Leaders and CEOs’ Summit, the Prime Minister showcased Sri Lanka’s investment potential and presented two projects supported by the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub: the Climate Resilient Agro-Ecosystems (CRAES) Project and the GreenPort Cornerstone: Green Hydrogen-Powered Zero-Emission Port Logistics Project. She invited Commonwealth business leaders and potential investors to explore these initiatives and pursue opportunities for investment and collaboration.
During the Executive Sessions on 3 November, the Prime Minister joined Commonwealth leaders in deliberations on strengthening intra-Commonwealth trade and investment, mobilising climate finance, promoting sustainable development and expanding opportunities for young people. She highlighted the importance of enhanced economic cooperation, investment partnerships and knowledge-sharing among Commonwealth countries, particularly in addressing the development challenges confronting small and developing states.
On the sidelines of the Summit, the Prime Minister held a series of bilateral meetings aimed at strengthening Sri Lanka’s relations with Commonwealth member countries, with particular emphasis on trade, investment and economic cooperation. These included meetings with the President of Rwanda, His Excellency Paul Kagame; the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Dr. Andrew Holness; the Vice President of Maldives, His Excellency Uz. Hussain Mohamed Latheef; the Deputy President of Kenya, Prof. Kithure Kindiki; and Uganda’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Norbert Mao.
She also held discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry of Singapore, Hon. Gan Kim Yong; the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Navin Ramgoolam; the Prime Minister of Namibia, Dr. Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare; the Principal Minister and Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Blue Economy of Seychelles, Wallace Cosgrow; the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of Tanzania, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo; and the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, Mr. Humaiun Kobir.
A key focus of these engagements was to broaden international participation at Sri Lanka Expo 2027, scheduled to be held in Colombo in January 2027. The Prime Minister invited the respective leaders to encourage business delegations from their countries to participate in the Expo, creating opportunities to explore trade, investment and commercial partnerships with Sri Lanka.
Further discussions were held with Lord Marland, Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), and Mr.Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO at IonQ, a leading global quantum computing hardware and software company. These engagements explored avenues for advancing Sri Lanka’s economic, technological and business partnerships.
Preceding the Leaders’ Summit, the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (Pre-CHOGM CFAMM) was held on 2 November to shape the agenda for the leaders’ deliberations. Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Aruni Ranaraja, represented Sri Lanka as Head of Delegation. In her intervention, she called for an action-oriented way forward for the Commonwealth, emphasising the need to strengthen intra-Commonwealth trade, investment and economic partnerships, address barriers to market access and expand cooperation in renewable energy, digital infrastructure, technological innovation and knowledge-sharing.
CHOGM 2026 concluded with the adoption of the CHOGM Communiqué, through which leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trade and investment, removing trade barriers, building resilient supply chains, accelerating sustainable economic growth, enhancing climate finance and resilience, advancing digital transformation and innovation, and empowering women and young people. The Communiqué also addressed reparatory justice through structured dialogue and reaffirmed the importance of democracy, good governance, human rights and multilateral cooperation.
Among the significant outcomes was the ambitious goal of doubling intra-Commonwealth trade to US$2 trillion by 2030. Leaders also welcomed the mobilisation of more than US$500 million in new partnerships and funding to support renewable energy, youth skills development, trade expansion and climate resilience. The official launch of the Commonwealth Trade Portal marked another important milestone, providing a platform to facilitate access to international markets and investment opportunities, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, the Global Summit for Eye Health secured US$1.3 billion in commitments from governments to strengthen eye health systems, expand access to eye care and address avoidable blindness.
Sri Lanka’s engagement at CHOGM 2026 reaffirmed the importance the country attaches to the Commonwealth as a platform for multilateral cooperation, constructive dialogue and the advancement of shared development priorities. The visit also provided valuable opportunities to deepen diplomatic relationships, explore new economic partnerships and promote Sri Lanka’s investment potential. In particular, the engagement with Commonwealth leaders and business representatives helped strengthen international business outreach in the lead-up to Sri Lanka Expo 2027.
Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Aruni Ranaraja; High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera; Director General, Europe and North America, Dilani Weerakoon; Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Hiruni Rajapakse; and Piyumee Bandara, Senior Assistant Secretary (International Relations), Prime Minister’s Office were associated with the Prime Minister during the discussions.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism
Colombo 01
10 November 2026
