With the events unfolding in the Middle East, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent speech on middle powers takes on new relevance. That’s how countries that aren’t any of the world’s superpowers ideally navigate, prosper, and keep themselves—paraphrasing Carney—’at the table so they aren’t on the menu.’
Some answers emerged quicker than anticipated. They are driven by the realisation that it’s dangerously naïve to think that there may be a return to the ‘factory settings.’ This scenario is assuming that global structures and mindsets move under future U.S. administrators. The geographical order may be changing, with that change likely here to stay, as emerging powers assert their influence and traditional powers adapt to new geopolitical realities.
Critically, the most clear-headed vision of middle power collaboration doesn’t include proposals to retreat behind regional trade blocs. In reality, it’s quite the opposite. Recently, PM Carney visited far-flung Australia. The purpose was to discuss closer cooperation between these 2 ‘strategic cousins.’ Both countries are Commonwealth realms that sustain King Charles III as head of state within the 56-member Commonwealth of Nations (which presently has more republics).
The solutions being proposed seem noticeably cross-party. Canada’s opposition leader visited London last week. His visit was to outline support for CANZUK, likely a popular proposal for a closer, freer trade besides a freedom of movement alliance between the Commonwealth countries, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
On Friday, 13 March ’26, Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said that today, as Commonwealth Day is celebrated, it’s an opportune time to consider where this leaves countries such as my own. At the same time, Antigua & Barbuda is both a small island state in the Caribbean and a Commonwealth realm. Later this year, we are likely to assume the 2-year rotating Chair-in-zone of the organization at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM), which is intended to be hosted at our capital city, St. John’s.
Browne stated that small island states have largely reaped immeasurable benefits from the existence of the rules-based international system. This is because, in a competitive world, we should not have the ability to wield power freely. Antigua & Barbuda’s high-income levels (we enjoy the highest UN Human Development Index status in the Caribbean) would qualify us for middle power status, were it not for our very small population.
