Prime Minister also visits Royal Bahamas Defence Force contingent supporting summit security
NASSAU, The Bahamas, 4 November 2026. Prime Minister the Hon. Philip Edward Davis, KC, MP, has returned to The Bahamas from St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, where he led the Bahamian delegation to the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The summit ran from 1 to 4 November under the theme “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth”.
The Bahamas went to St John’s with clear priorities: trade within the Commonwealth, debt relief, poverty alleviation and climate change. In their Communiqué, leaders committed to work with international institutions on measures of vulnerability that look beyond income when concessional finance and debt treatment are allocated. The Bahamas has pressed that case for years.
Leaders also supported calls for debt-pause clauses and climate-linked debt instruments to protect public finances during a crisis. They affirmed that maritime zones established under the law of the sea will continue to apply, without reduction, as sea levels rise.
On reparatory justice, leaders welcomed the United Kingdom’s agreement to a structured, time-bound, inclusive and good-faith dialogue with affected parties. The dialogue will address the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and its historical harms. The Bahamas will continue this work with its CARICOM partners.
On the margins of the summit, the Prime Minister held bilateral talks with three African leaders.
With His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, the Prime Minister was interested in cooperation in digital government, eye care and the ease of doing business. Rwanda has made notable progress in all three. The two leaders explored how that experience could benefit Bahamians. The talks build on the visa waiver agreement the two countries signed in 2024.
With His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, the Prime Minister discussed stronger trade and investment links between Africa and the Caribbean. President Mahama urged closer economic ties between the two regions as a source of growth for both. The leaders also discussed reparatory justice, a cause Ghana and the Caribbean have advanced together.
With the Rt Hon. Dr Elijah Ngurare, Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia, the Prime Minister discussed trade and investment, Leaders in St John’s endorsed the outcome of the Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting that Namibia hosted.
In these meetings, the Bahamian delegation sought support for Mr Stephen Bereaux, The Bahamas’ candidate for Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union. The election will be held at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Doha this month.
Reflecting on the three meetings, the Prime Minister said: “The transatlantic slave trade separated our peoples by force. We are reconnecting them by choice. Bahamians should judge these talks by what reaches them at home: government services they can complete online, better eye care in the Family Islands, and new trade and investment for Bahamian businesses.”
The Prime Minister also visited the more than 30 officers and marines of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force deployed to Antigua and Barbuda for the summit. They served with security personnel from across the region, supporting the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda and the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force.
“Bahamians had a seat at the Commonwealth’s table this week, and Bahamian marines helped keep that table secure,” the Prime Minister said. “They carried our flag with discipline and pride. I wanted them to hear the nation’s thanks in person.”
The Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Gaston Browne and the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda for their hospitality. He congratulated them on the 45th anniversary of their Independence, marked on 1 November as the summit opened. He wished Prime Minister Browne every success as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office.
ENDS