The Maldives will co-chair the 2026 Commonwealth’s Ministerial Meeting on Small States (CMMSS). The decision was announced during the ongoing Ministerial Meeting of the Small States ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa on Wednesday.
The Maldives will co-chair CMMSS with the host country of the CHOGM in 2026.
This leadership role will further the Maldives’s efforts in championing the cause of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on the global stage and, as the co-chair, the Maldives will focus on continuing the advocacy efforts in support of the interests of the Small States, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release on Wednesday.
During the ongoing meeting of the CMMSS, Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Khaleel met with foreign ministers from the Small States of the Commonwealth and discussed pressing issues facing small states, including economic vulnerability, climate action, and access to finance, the Ministry said.
According to the Ministry, Khaleel emphasised the urgent need for financial reforms to address unique challenges faced by small states and urged for stronger commitments on climate finance ahead of the 29th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). He called for enhanced access to finance and debt sustainability solutions, going on to highlight initiatives such as the SIDS Debt Sustainability Support Service while also focusing on the importance of economic diversification for long-term resilience of small states, the release said.
The CMMSS is a gathering held on the sidelines of the CHOGM, bringing together Foreign Ministers from across the Commonwealth to engage and foster partnerships to promote resilience and sustainable development of small states.
This year’s CMMSS is co-chaired by Samoa, as the host country, and Eswatini.
