Leaders representing nearly a third of the world’s population are meeting on the tiny Caribbean island of Antigua this week to strengthen ties during a time of global political upheaval.

New deals and pledges are expected to emerge from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which is held every two years. More than 50 leaders of Commonwealth nations, many of which once formed part of the British Empire, are scheduled to attend, along with officials from Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates.

“To deal with what to expect in Antigua, I think we need … to look at the world in which we find ourselves today,” Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey told The Associated Press ahead of the meeting.…