Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Antigua and Barbuda

23/09/2026

𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐍 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐞
Antigua and Barbuda was called upon to play a prominent role at the opening of High-Level Week as the 81st United Nations General Assembly got underway in New York today, demonstrating the significant respect the country continues to enjoy in the international community.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Honourable E.P. Chet Greene took the rostrum Tuesday afternoon to chair the proceedings as leaders and senior representatives from countries around the world delivered their national addresses to the global body.

The Minister’s role placed Antigua and Barbuda in a position of responsibility at a
consequential moment for the multilateral system, as the United Nations confronts
questions of trust and its capacity to respond to a rapidly shifting international landscape.

The theme of the 81st session, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United
Nations That Delivers for All,” speaks directly to some of the challenges the body is facing.

For Minister Greene, the occasion represented a moment of pride not only personally, but for Antigua and Barbuda.

"It shows that the country is still being held with considerable respect among the
international community. And being called on to serve in such a role moves us beyond
simply participating in an important diplomatic process but playing a role in managing its proceedings," Greene noted.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister the Hon. Gaston Browne joins the country’s national delegation at the United Nations on Wednesday. Besides Minister Greene, the country’s Minister of Health and the Environment, the Hon. Michael Joseph is in New York participating in the High Level week meetings.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Antigua and Barbuda

09/09/2026

The road to

Final preparations for continue!

With less than two months to go until Commonwealth leaders gather in Antigua and Barbuda, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration and CHOGM 2026 Chair, the Honourable E.P. Chet Greene, met with Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Honourable Shirley Botchwey, in London to review CHOGM 2026 readiness, final preparations and key ministerial priorities.

Discussions focused on outstanding areas of preparation and continued coordination between the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and the Commonwealth Secretariat ahead of CHOGM 2026, 1–4 November in St John’s.

The meeting also reviewed preparations for two important ministerial meetings taking place as part of CHOGM:

- Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM)
- Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting on Small States (CMMSS)

Particular attention was given to the Small States meeting, which will be co-chaired by Antigua and Barbuda and Maldives, providing an important platform for Commonwealth small states to advance shared priorities, including resilience, vulnerability, access to development finance and sustainable economic growth.

Her Excellency Karen-Mae Hill, High Commissioner of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Kingdom and CHOGM 2026 Focal Point, also participated in the discussions, alongside Mr Caleb Gardiner, Third Secretary at the Antigua and Barbuda High Commission in London.

As November approaches, Antigua and Barbuda continues to work closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat and key partners to ensure the country is prepared not only to welcome the Commonwealth, but to contribute meaningfully to the conversations and outcomes of CHOGM 2026.

🌍 The Road to CHOGM continues!

09/09/2026

07/09/2026

On The Commemmoration of Africa-CARICOM Day

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUÉ

ON THE COMMEMORATION OF AFRICA-CARICOM DAY 2026

September 7, 2026

Distinguished Colleagues, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda and our Beloved Brothers and Sisters across the African Continent and the Caribbean Community.

It is with profound honour and a deep sense of shared destiny that I address you on this solemn occasion of Africa-CARICOM Day 2026. This day, September 7th, stands as a monumental testament to our resilience, our ancestry and our unshakeable commitment to a future forged in unity.

We commemorate the historic vision of our own Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Gaston Browne, who in 2021 first proposed this day as a beacon of cooperation. Our connection is not merely diplomatic; it is visceral. It flows from the blood of our ancestors, from the shared tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade, rightly recognized by the United Nations as the "gravest crime against humanity" and from the indomitable spirit that has seen our peoples rise from the ashes of history. We do not inherit guilt from the past, instead, we inherit the profound responsibility to build a future of justice and equity for our descendants.

Today, as the world navigates profound geopolitical shifts, economic volatility and existential threats like climate change, the imperative for unity has never been more urgent. As a nation of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and a proud member of the Global South, Antigua and Barbuda recognizes that our collective strength lies in our numbers and our shared voice. The recent visa waiver agreements signed with our brothers in Ghana, Kenya and Benin are not mere administrative formalities; they are the dismantling of barriers, the building of bridges and a tangible manifestation of our commitment to "One People. Shared History. Common Purpose.”

Looking to the horizon, we must now chart a course of transformative action:

The potential for trade and investment is undeniable with projections identifying agricultural trade potential of up to $15 billion between our regions. We must aggressively operationalize this, targeting the ambitious $1.8 billion trade volume goal by 2028. We must empower our private sectors, streamline logistics and ensure that our SMEs, particularly those led by our vibrant youth, have access to the capital and markets they need to thrive. Our partnerships must facilitate mutual growth in sectors from agriculture and renewable energy to the blue economy and financial services.

Our greatest resource is our people. The visa waivers are a start but we must now invest in direct air links to make travel seamless. We must foster cultural and educational exchanges that allow our youth to explore their heritage and build networks of innovation. Let us also revitalize our sports diplomacy, using the unifying power of cricket, athletics and football to deepen the bonds of camaraderie and shared identity between our villages and cities.

We must continue to press for reparatory justice not as an end point but as a means to addressing the persistent inequities that plague our nations. The upcoming CARICOM Reparations Commission, 3rd Regional Conference on Reparations, themed “Reparatory Justice as the Coming Enlightenment,”scheduled for 17 – 19 September 2026 in Barbados, will serve to further consolidate the regions advocacy efforts globally.

We must stand united in our call for climate justice, debt relief and the restitution of our cultural heritage. Our unity in multilateral forums is our greatest bargaining chip in reshaping the global order to be more just and inclusive.

The bonds between Antigua and Barbuda and the continent of Africa are unbreakable. Let us ensure that this partnership moves from aspiration to measurable action, transforming our shared history into a prosperous and connected future.

On this Africa-CARICOM Day, I implore us to reaffirm our pledge to rise together and to ensure that the next generation inherits a world where the ties between Africa and the Caribbean are stronger than ever.

Long live Africa-CARICOM solidarity. Long live the enduring bonds between our peoples.

The Honourable E.P. Chet Greene
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration

27/08/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐚 𝐜𝐨-𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐚

The Implementation Support Unit (ISU) for the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), in collaboration with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda - National Contact Points for the Biological Weapons Convention, organised a National Workshop on the Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). The workshop was held over the period 26th - 27th August, 2026 at the Trade Winds Hotel, Dickenson Bay, St. John's.

The Honourable E.P. Chet Greene, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Immigration, delivered opening remarks at the workshop, highlighting how effective implementation of the BWC touches every aspect of national life. According to Minister Greene, “It supports outbreak readiness - by improving coordination among our agencies, we can detect, investigate and contain outbreaks more quickly, whether they are natural, accidental or deliberate.” He further stated that effective implementation “protects our agriculture and food security” and “it safeguards our tourism and livelihoods”.

Minister Greene also emphasised that “as a small island developing state, multilateral engagement amplifies our voice and provides the mechanisms we need to cooperate effectively, and the workshop itself is a product of that international spirit”.

Also delivering opening remarks was Dr. Alex Lampalzer, Deputy Chief of BWC-ISU, who underscored that rapid advances in science and technology are reshaping the biological landscape.
He added that “these advances bring opportunities for human health, for agriculture, for fisheries, but also pose serious biosecurity challenges because of the dual-use potential.”

The workshop aimed to raise awareness of the Biological Weapons Convention in Antigua and Barbuda and support its improved implementation at the national level. In addition, the workshop trained participants to prepare Antigua and Barbuda’s first Confidence-Building Measures (CBM) report and served as a platform to inform participants about assistance and cooperation opportunities to strengthen biosecurity nationally, through discussions facilitated by Dr. Alex Lampalzer and visiting experts, Dr. Mariana Ulinici, Research Scientist, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), and Dr. Vishal Goury, Chief Government Analyst of Mauritius.

Antigua and Barbuda acceded to the BWC in 2003, legally binding the country to refrain from developing, producing, stockpiling, acquiring, or utilising biological weapons.

The current National Contact Points are Dr. Linroy Christian, Director, Department of Analytical Services and Miss Alyssa Weste, Technical Cooperation Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

-ENDS-

26/08/2026

👑🇦🇬 Their Majesties The King and Queen will visit Antigua and Barbuda for CHOGM 2026!

The Royal Visit will form part of Their Majesties’ Autumn Tour and will coincide with their attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), taking place 1–4 November 2026 in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.

As Head of the Commonwealth, The King will join leaders and representatives from across the 56-member Commonwealth as Antigua and Barbuda hosts this important global gathering.

The visit will mark The King’s return to Antigua and Barbuda following his visit in 2017 and The Queen’s first official visit to the country.

We look forward to welcoming Their Majesties to our shores this November. 🇦🇬

19/08/2026

“Excellence must be a top priority” as we gear up to host CHOGM 2026

19/08/2026

Tune in tonight!!

Road to CHOGM is back with a brand-new episode! 🇦🇬

This time, we’re taking you behind the scenes at the CHOGM venues, featuring special insights from:
- Honorable E.P. Chet Greene, Minister of Foreign Affairs and CHOGM Taskforce Chair
- Jomica Carbon, CHOGM Venues Lead
- Dr. E. Jonah Greene, President of the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies
- Desley Gardner of the National Parks Authority.

Get some insiders about the venues, preparations, and the work happening ahead of CHOGM.

📺 Tune in tonight at 8:00 PM AST on ABS Television/Radio Facebook Live!

Don’t miss it!

11/07/2026

Message from The Hon. E.P. Chet Greene
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antigua and Barbuda
Chairman, CHOGM 2026 National Task Force

July 10, 2026

My fellow citizens and residents:

Though I am currently away on official duty in Peru, I have followed today's simulation exercise closely from afar, monitoring updates, reviewing real-time reports and engaging with my team on the ground. Distance has not diminished my confidence nor my pride in what we have collectively achieved.

Today's full-scale simulation tested every pillar of our CHOGM preparedness; security, emergency response, logistics and public communication. It was a rigorous, necessary and successful exercise.

I extend my deepest gratitude to:

· The general public, whose patience, cooperation and understanding during today's disruptions demonstrate the very best of our national spirit.
· Our law enforcement agencies and all CHOGM personnel, whose professionalism and meticulous planning continue to set a standard of excellence.
· Our emergency response agencies, including medical teams and disaster management units for their swift coordination and Viv Richards-like readiness.
· The media, for their responsible reporting and vital role in keeping the nation informed.

This exercise has confirmed what I already knew: Antigua and Barbuda is ready. Our systems are robust, our people are prepared and our hospitality is unmatched.

To the distinguished Heads of Government and leaders of the Commonwealth, on behalf of our Task Force and our nation, I extend a warm Antigua and Barbuda invitation. Come to Antigua. We are prepared to receive you, to host you with pride and to facilitate a CHOGM that will be both productive and memorable.

From Peru to Antigua, my commitment remains steadfast. Thank you to my team and I look forward to joining you all on the ground very soon.