Their Excellencies Sir Rodney and Lady Williams hosted an elegant dinner at the Carlisle Bay Resort in honour of the Rt. Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

The event, organized by the resort in partnership with Government House, celebrated the Secretary-General’s official visit to Antigua and Barbuda following the launch of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026 earlier that day.

Among the distinguished guests were Ambassador Kwabena Osei-Danquah, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Secretary-General; Ms. Rena Gashumba, Communications Adviser, Commonwealth Secretariat; Her Excellency Karen-Mae Hill, Antigua and Barbuda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom; Her Excellency Ms. Charley Williams, Deputy British High Commissioner based in Barbados; Mr. John Hamilton, British Resident Commissioner to Antigua and Barbuda; and Mr. Brent Scotland, Second Secretary at the Antigua and Barbuda High Commission in London.

The evening provided an opportunity to celebrate the growing partnership between the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda as preparations intensify for CHOGM 2026.

In his address, His Excellency Sir Rodney Williams commended the Secretary-General’s leadership and expressed gratitude for the Commonwealth’s support. He reaffirmed Antigua and Barbuda’s readiness to host a world-class summit, highlighting the nation’s commitment to advancing dialogue, cooperation, and unity among member states.

The event concluded with an atmosphere of camaraderie and optimism, as guests toasted to the successful hosting of CHOGM 2026 and to continued collaboration within the Commonwealth family.