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 CHOGMs headquarters assisting with preparations.
Similar to the first visit by member countries, the delegates were welcomed last Wednesday 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 assessment on Samoa’s readiness.
This was followed by a schedule of site visits to the key meeting venues, Leaders Retreat venue, main accommodation for the Leaders and Foreign Ministers, as well as other official function venues.
The participants also had the opportunity to meet with their Delegation Liaison Officers who will act as the link between the respective delegations and the CHOGM Taskforce on all pertinent issues throughout CHOGM.
A briefing session and detailed presentation on all CHOGM preparations was conducted on day two. This included arrangements on 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 wrapped up on Thursday evening with bilateral meetings between delegations and Sub-Committee representatives to respond to concerns of the countries.
The majority of queries countries had were around security of their Heads of Governments, placement of their Close Protection Officers during movements of Leaders as well as where in meeting venues they would be allowed.
Other delegations were concerned about access into meeting venues, accommodation or bilateral meeting facilities for their Leaders.
On the Tuesday 23 July, the Samoa Umbrella of Non-Governmental Organisations (SUNGO) in collaboration with Government of Samoa through the Public Service Commission held a full day programme which is a lead-up event to the Commonwealth People’s Forum held at the start of the CHOGM week.
