His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio, President of Sierra Leone, attended the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) at the Tuanaimato Conference Centre in Samoa. The event gathered leaders from 55 independent nations across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, and the Americas.
Samoa's Prime Minister, Hon. Afioga Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, inaugurated the meeting and welcomed delegates to the 27th CHOGM session. She highlighted its significance as it is the first CHOGM under King Charles III's leadership as head of the Commonwealth. Prime Minister Mataʻafa emphasized climate change discussions due to its impact on her island nation.
The Right Honourable Patricia Scotland KC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, thanked members for their support and noted that inter-Commonwealth trade and investment have tripled during her tenure. She addressed challenges like climate change and global conflicts affecting member nations.
King Charles III described the Commonwealth as a family of equals and stressed finding solutions to eradicate inequality among member countries. He highlighted historical contexts and called for action against disparities in opportunities and environmental issues.
Outgoing CHOGM chair President Paul Kagame urged stronger policies on climate change from member nations. He advocated for public-private partnerships and green investments to benefit all member countries.
President Bio also participated in a panel discussion at the 27th Commonwealth Business Forum 2024 during his visit to Samoa.
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