Against the backdrop of the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) hosted in Antigua and Barbuda, a last-minute diplomatic adjustment unfolded this week as Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Sean Sobers assumed the national delegation leadership role, after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was forced to pull out of the gathering due to a severe flu diagnosis. On Tuesday, Sobers stood in for Persad-Bissessar at a closed-door high-level breakfast convened exclusively for Caribbean heads of government and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, a critical bilateral and multilateral engagement held parallel to the broader CHOGM proceedings. The Trinidadian foreign minister emphasized that his presence at the discussions was rooted in the twin-island nation’s longstanding commitment to nurturing robust, mutually beneficial partnerships across the Caribbean region and with global Commonwealth allies. In public remarks following the session, Sobers underscored that deliberate, solution-focused dialogue and sustained collaborative action are non-negotiable pillars for advancing collective shared priorities, from climate resilience to equitable trade access, while deepening fraternal ties between member states. Persad-Bissessar, who had initially planned to lead Trinidad and Tobago’s full official delegation through the entire CHOGM agenda, shared with local outlet the Trinidad Guardian that her flu case was severe enough to prevent her from traveling and participating in the summit’s packed schedule of diplomatic engagements. Sobers will continue to represent the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago for the duration of the landmark summit, which gathers leaders and senior representatives from all 56 Commonwealth member nations to deliberate on cross-cutting global challenges and collaborative action plans.
Foreign Affairs Minister Sean Sobers represents Trinidad and Tobago at Carney meeting in Antigua in absence of PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar
