The second Advance Visit for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in October 2024 took place on 24 and 25 July 2024. Sixty-five delegates from fourteen Commonwealth member countries, including the Commonwealth Secretariat, participated in the visit. The Head of the Commonwealth Foundation and her two staff attended alongside a three-member team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, who had been working out of CHOGM’s headquarters assisting with preparations.
Similar to the first visit by member countries, the delegates were welcomed on Wednesday morning at the Auditorium, Arts and Cultural Centre in Malifa by the CHOGM 2024 Organising Committee, headed by the CEO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Co-Chairs of each of the twelve Sub-Committees. In her welcome remarks, Peseta Noumea Simi encouraged the delegations to view, visit, and make their honest assessments of Samoa’s readiness.
The schedule included site visits to key meeting venues, the Leaders Retreat venue, main accommodation for the Leaders and Foreign Ministers, and other official function venues. Participants also had the opportunity to meet their Delegation Liaison Officers, who will act as links between the respective delegations and the CHOGM Taskforce on all pertinent issues throughout CHOGM.
On the second day, a briefing session and detailed presentation on all CHOGM preparations were conducted. This included arrangements for protocol and airport facilitation, security, accreditation, accommodation, transportation, venues, media and communications, health and emergency, catering, as well as receptions and functions. The two-day programme concluded on Thursday evening with bilateral meetings between delegations and Sub-Committee representatives to respond to the countries’ concerns.
The majority of queries from the countries centered on the security of their Heads of Governments, the placement of their Close Protection Officers during the movements of Leaders, and their access within meeting venues. Other delegations were concerned about access to meeting venues, accommodation, or bilateral meeting facilities for their Leaders.
On Tuesday, 23 July, the Samoa Umbrella of Non-Governmental Organisations (SUNGO) collaborated with the Government of Samoa through the Public Service Commission to hold a full-day program. This event served as a lead-up to the Commonwealth People’s Forum, which will be held at the start of CHOGM week.
