Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef has concluded his official visit to Antigua and Barbuda after representing the Maldives at the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The Vice President travelled with a high-level Maldivian delegation, which included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam. The summit was held under the theme “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth”.
CHOGM is the Commonwealth’s principal gathering of political leaders, bringing together heads of government from its 56 member states to discuss shared priorities and strengthen cooperation. The meeting provides an important platform for addressing global challenges, including economic development, climate change, security and sustainable growth. The opening ceremony of this year’s summit was attended by King Charles III, Head of the Commonwealth.
During Executive Session II, Vice President Latheef called for stronger partnerships that enable member states to build national capacity, promote self-reliance and pursue development according to their own priorities. He highlighted the need for collective action on issues such as climate resilience and digital transformation, noting that the exchange of expertise and practical support would help countries respond more effectively to emerging challenges.
Representing President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s development vision, the Vice President reaffirmed the Maldives’ ambition to achieve developed-nation status by 2040. He also outlined key national targets, including increasing the digital economy’s contribution to 15 per cent of GDP by 2030 and generating 33 per cent of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2028.
He described young people as central to achieving these ambitions, stressing that investment in their education, skills and opportunities would be essential to building a resilient and prosperous Maldives.
Vice President Latheef further highlighted the economic and fiscal difficulties countries face due to global supply chain disruptions and wider economic uncertainties. He called on the Commonwealth to strengthen its role in supporting national development through partnerships that improve resilience and help member states address shared challenges.
The summit concluded with a series of commitments aimed at strengthening economic cooperation, expanding investment and addressing shared global concerns. One of its major outcomes was the mobilisation of more than US$500 million in new commitments for initiatives covering renewable energy, skills development for young people, trade and economic growth.
Leaders also adopted a final communiqué outlining priorities for the Commonwealth’s future cooperation. These included improving access to climate finance, strengthening support for small island developing states, building more resilient supply chains and expanding trade and investment among member countries.
Particular attention was given to the challenges facing climate-vulnerable nations. Leaders called for more accessible and predictable climate financing, alongside greater technical assistance and technology transfer to help small island states strengthen their resilience to climate change. The communiqué also reaffirmed that countries should retain their established maritime zones and related rights under international law despite physical changes caused by rising sea levels.
On economic cooperation, leaders welcomed initiatives to improve trade opportunities, including the launch of the Commonwealth Trade Portal, which is intended to help businesses access information on products, services and investment opportunities across member countries. They also called for stronger cooperation between governments and the private sector to support sustainable development and create employment opportunities.
In addition to the main sessions, the Vice President took part in several meetings and side events during the summit, where he delivered statements reaffirming the Maldives’ commitment to sustainable development, stronger international partnerships and multilateral cooperation.
His participation concluded the Maldives’ engagement in the 28th CHOGM, which brought Commonwealth leaders together to advance practical cooperation and investment, while renewing their commitment to building a more prosperous, inclusive and resilient Commonwealth.
