Small Economies Must Not Be Left Behind In Global Investment, Borg Tells Commonwealth Leaders

Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Ian Borg called for greater investment in smaller economies during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026 in Antigua and Barbuda, where he also discussed new opportunities for Malta with international partners.

In a statement, the government said Borg led the Maltese delegation to the meeting, which brought together leaders from 56 countries, ranging from some of the world's smallest states to some of its largest economies, in the presence of King Charles III, with whom Borg also had an exchange during the events.

Foreign ministers and representatives of organisations and businesses also attended the meeting.

Borg said such meetings strengthened cooperation between Commonwealth countries, helping to create investment opportunities, quality jobs and more resilient economies.

During the leaders' executive session, Borg said one of the main challenges was ensuring that investment also reached smaller economies.

He explained that good ideas needed to be developed into well-prepared projects with clear implementation plans to attract the necessary financing, adding that cooperation between countries and the sharing of best practices were important in this regard.

Borg also spoke about Malta's experience, saying that despite its small size, the country had continued to develop through an open economy, connectivity, stability and investment in people's skills.

He said the success of investment should be measured by the benefits it left behind, including good jobs, stronger local businesses, new skills and greater use of technology.

Borg also said Malta's strong economy enabled the government to continue supporting families and businesses despite international challenges, which featured prominently in discussions during the meeting.

He added that keeping people at the centre of decisions remained the guiding principle of the Maltese government's policies.

The Deputy Prime Minister also addressed maritime security and the protection of trade routes and undersea infrastructure, particularly in view of the international challenges facing economies and the importance of strengthening their resilience.

He referred to cooperation between Malta and Antigua and Barbuda on the Global Centre for Maritime Sanctions Monitoring as an example of countries working together to address shared challenges, the statement said.

Borg was also invited to address the Commonwealth Business Forum, where he participated in a session entitled "Beyond Superpowers: The Rise of New Economies", attended by industry leaders and representatives of international companies.

During the session, he discussed trade and investment opportunities, including those available to small and medium-sized enterprises.

"I am proud to have led the Maltese delegation to another CHOGM meeting. We came together for a number of events and meetings, including discussions among leaders on the values and principles that unite us, our historical ties and the many opportunities we can create by working together," Borg said.

"We also underlined that, when facing challenges, politics must always keep people at its centre. My colleague, Minister Chris Fearne, and I took every opportunity to make Malta's voice heard on peace, the fight against climate change, cooperation and other important issues. We also held bilateral meetings to build relationships that can open new doors for our country," Borg concluded.