Carney to meet with King Charles and Commonwealth heads of government

Prime Minister Mark Carney is heading to Antigua and Barbuda on Monday, where he will have a chance to engage with heads of government from other Commonwealth countries — and with King Charles III.

Much of the meetings taking place this week will focus on trade and investment. But the gathering also offers a chance for Carney to meet with representatives from a wide variety of countries he might not otherwise visit, said retired Canadian diplomat Patricia Fortier.

“Fifty-six countries, Caribbean, Europe, Africa, North America, Indo-Pacific — this is like a diplomatic feast,” she said.

Commonwealth members include large countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, India and Nigeria, and many of the world’s smallest countries — such as Tuvalu, a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean with a population of about 10,000.

Fortier described it as an “extraordinary gathering.”