diff --git a/.changes/1.18.16.json b/.changes/1.18.16.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..abdc15ae52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/1.18.16.json
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+[
+  {
+    "category": "``synthetics``",
+    "description": "[``botocore``] Documentation updates for Visual Monitoring feature and other doc ticket fixes.",
+    "type": "api-change"
+  },
+  {
+    "category": "``chime-sdk-identity``",
+    "description": "[``botocore``] The Amazon Chime SDK Identity APIs allow software developers to create and manage unique instances of their messaging applications.",
+    "type": "api-change"
+  },
+  {
+    "category": "``chime-sdk-messaging``",
+    "description": "[``botocore``] The Amazon Chime SDK Messaging APIs allow software developers to send and receive messages in custom messaging applications.",
+    "type": "api-change"
+  },
+  {
+    "category": "``connect``",
+    "description": "[``botocore``] This release adds support for agent status and hours of operation. For details, see the Release Notes in the Amazon Connect Administrator Guide.",
+    "type": "api-change"
+  },
+  {
+    "category": "``lightsail``",
+    "description": "[``botocore``] This release adds support to track when a bucket access key was last used.",
+    "type": "api-change"
+  },
+  {
+    "category": "``athena``",
+    "description": "[``botocore``] Documentation updates for Athena.",
+    "type": "api-change"
+  }
+]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index b5107dc2f9..2dddc13baf 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -2,6 +2,17 @@
 CHANGELOG
 =========
 
+1.18.16
+=======
+
+* api-change:``synthetics``: [``botocore``] Documentation updates for Visual Monitoring feature and other doc ticket fixes.
+* api-change:``chime-sdk-identity``: [``botocore``] The Amazon Chime SDK Identity APIs allow software developers to create and manage unique instances of their messaging applications.
+* api-change:``chime-sdk-messaging``: [``botocore``] The Amazon Chime SDK Messaging APIs allow software developers to send and receive messages in custom messaging applications.
+* api-change:``connect``: [``botocore``] This release adds support for agent status and hours of operation. For details, see the Release Notes in the Amazon Connect Administrator Guide.
+* api-change:``lightsail``: [``botocore``] This release adds support to track when a bucket access key was last used.
+* api-change:``athena``: [``botocore``] Documentation updates for Athena.
+
+
 1.18.15
 =======
 
diff --git a/boto3/__init__.py b/boto3/__init__.py
index 7a9307829c..66a0eaf199 100644
--- a/boto3/__init__.py
+++ b/boto3/__init__.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 
 __author__ = 'Amazon Web Services'
-__version__ = '1.18.15'
+__version__ = '1.18.16'
 
 
 # The default Boto3 session; autoloaded when needed.
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index ac1c5409d8..589a72d561 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ universal = 0
 
 [metadata]
 requires_dist =
-    botocore>=1.21.15,<1.22.0
+    botocore>=1.21.16,<1.22.0
     jmespath>=0.7.1,<1.0.0
     s3transfer>=0.5.0,<0.6.0
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 6945ea52cc..40b0480cb4 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 
 requires = [
-    'botocore>=1.21.15,<1.22.0',
+    'botocore>=1.21.16,<1.22.0',
     'jmespath>=0.7.1,<1.0.0',
     's3transfer>=0.5.0,<0.6.0'
 ]