Antigua and Barbuda has begun an intensive security training programme as part of its preparations to host the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)—an event officials describe as the largest and most high-profile gathering ever to take place in the country.

The two-week seminar, now underway at Camp Blizzard, brings together security planners, military personnel, and technical teams who will be responsible for safeguarding dozens of world leaders expected on island next year.

Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene said the scale of CHOGM makes security planning more critical than ever.

“For the first time in our history, Antigua and Barbuda will host monarchs, presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers and other dignitaries all in the same space,” Greene said. “Given today’s global realities, security is not just a component—it is the backbone of CHOGM planning.”

He thanked the Government of Canada for providing security experts to facilitate the training sessions, describing their involvement as a key partnership that enhances national readiness.

Greene noted that the operational focus of the training is designed to integrate every moving part of CHOGM—from finance and accommodation to entertainment, logistics and protocol—into one coordinated operation that showcases Antigua and Barbuda’s capacity to host major world events.

Ambassador Dr. Clarence Pilgrim, Head of the National CHOGM Task Force, told participants that the seminar is essential to the success of next year’s summit.

“This Operational Planning Seminar is a critical pathway in strengthening our preparedness,” Pilgrim said. “The programme is structured to sharpen leadership, improve intelligence planning, and refine the operational framework that will guide CHOGM 2026. The quality of our work now will determine our performance when the world is watching.”

Ambassador Dr. Clarence Pilgrim, Head of the National CHOGM Task Force

Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Telbert Benjamin highlighted the importance of unity among the various committees involved in CHOGM coordination.

“What I want to see is synchronization,” Benjamin said. “Every sub-committee must operate as one team. Planning and execution must be seamless.”

Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Telbert Benjamin

The local coordination is being led by Captain Travis Pennyfeather of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force, working alongside Canadian facilitator Clayton Purvis and a team from the Canadian Armed Forces headed by Lt. Col. Paul Simpson, Canada’s Lead CHOGM Planner.

Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene

With only months to go before the summit, officials say the training represents a major step in ensuring that Antigua and Barbuda delivers a secure, world-class event of unprecedented scale.