(Commonwealth)_ The Foreign Affairs Ministers from across the Commonwealth had gathered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the 25th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM), chaired by Samoa Deputy Prime Minister Toelupe Maoiautele Poumulinuku Onesemo. It was held on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly and was a reflection of the Commonwealth’s tradition of embracing multilateralism and collaboration in the midst of centuries of record global uncertainty. Ministers discussed progress since the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa and set priorities looking forward to CHOGM 2026 in Antigua and Barbuda.
The session, which was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Toelupe, mapped out the CFAMM agenda to guide the Commonwealth leaders’ mandates in accordance with CHOGM 2024. The leadership prioritized foreign ministers’ agendas to establish a resilient Commonwealth with the capacity to grow to address the world’s future demands and benefit the association’s 56 member states.
The meeting was significant in the context that it was the first CFAMM under the new Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon. Shirley Botchwey, who had recently been elected. She called upon the member states to utilize the occasion to reaffirm the unique ability of the Commonwealth to bring countries together at a time of increasing threats to the multilateral system. Botchwey stated that the diversity of the Commonwealth—a third of humanity and spanning large economies and the poorest, smallest nations—puts it in the best position to advance democratic values, champion economic opportunity, drive climate action, and empower women and young people.
The meeting’s agenda included some of the most urgent items, such as the adoption of the Strategic Plan 2025–2030, titled Building a More Resilient Commonwealth. The Commonwealth Board of Governors approved the plan in the first week of September, following its earlier submission to the member states. The plan aims to establish the Secretariat’s baseline role and empower it to function effectively, delivering results. Democratic, economic, and environmental resilience in all the member states is provided for by the plan.
The Ministers selected several priority areas for action. They reasserted their leadership in multilateralism first, adopting collective action as the inescapable precursor to solutions to key global problems, such as peace, global warming, debt, and trade. Special emphasis was given to the concerns of vulnerable and small states, placing their issues at the top of the Commonwealth’s international agenda.
Second, the ministers also supported reforms to streamline the work of CHOGM and ministerial meetings thereunder. Reforms include improving the efficacy of the Commonwealth Secretariat, embracing new information and communications technologies, and using results-based monitoring to provide improved efficiency and effectiveness in program and policy implementation.
Thirdly, the focus shifted to resilience. There was a determination to move forward with efforts aimed at building resilience in economies, democratic institutions, and societies on CHOGM 2024 commitments. Efforts in this area are aimed at facilitation of climate adaptation, economic diversification, and good governance reforms in a bid to equip the member states with the ability to respond to any future shocks.
Fourth, the ministers pledged to serve as advocates for small states. They committed to providing extra voices for these states in the international community so that they can have better access to climate finance, debt relief, and equitable terms of trade. These measures aim to reduce vulnerability and promote sustainable development in nations susceptible to global crises.
The meeting also discussed the empowerment of the Commonwealth’s people. More mobility schemes, more gender equality initiatives, and more partnerships to empower the 1.6 billion youth in the Commonwealth were agreed upon and discussed by the ministers. The actions demonstrate a commitment to harnessing the potential of the future generation as key drivers of economic and social development.
Among the costly new projects launched at the conference was the creation of a Democracy Fragility Index. The index will monitor risks to democratic stability and provide early warning signs to allow the member states to prevent political crises. The index, through evidence-based intelligence and targeted partnerships, will safeguard the rule of democracy within the Commonwealth.
