Ghana’s foreign minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey will be the next Commonwealth Secretary-General.
She was elected by Commonwealth Heads of Government on Saturday at their biennial retreat in Apia, capital of Samoa, the Pacific island nation.
“I stand before you with a profound sense of gratitude and humility as I accept the responsibility of this position,” Ms. Botchwey said in her prepared acceptance remarks.
“I feel deeply honoured to be elected as the 7th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. She said I will do everything in my power to be worthy of your confidence and trust.
Ms. Botchwey, 61, Ghana’s foreign minister for nearly eight years, will replace Baroness Patricia Scotland on April 1, 2025. Scotland, a British-Dominican, was first elected in 2016 and is completing her two-term limit.
“By electing me, the second successive woman to occupy the position of Secretary-General, the Heads of Government have continued the tradition of the Commonwealth as a history-making organization,” Ms. Botchwey said.
She contested for the role with Gambian foreign minister Dr. Mamadou Tangara, and Lesotho diplomat, former Trade Minister and Commonwealth Secretariat staffer Joshua Setipa.
Based on the Commonwealth’s convention of regional rotation, Africa was due to provide a Secretary-General for the 56-member organization headquartered in London.
“I see my election as affirmation that the Commonwealth is poised to rise to the occasion as the world commits to multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow, said Ms. Botchwey, a lawyer and former four-term member of Ghana’s parliament.
“Our task, as the Commonwealth, is to find ways to cooperate among our family of nations to successfully respond to the aspirations of our people and safeguard our planet for current and future generations.
“My vision is that the Commonwealth Secretariat, along with every member country, will seize the moment, with imagination, innovation, creativity and boldness, sure in the conviction that we are capable of building a better world, together.”
The Commonwealth, initially a grouping of independent former British colonies, now includes members without prior British ties, such as Rwanda, Cameroon, Gabon and Togo.
Its population is 1.68 billion, and its combined GDP is over $13 trillion, which is projected to reach nearly $20 trillion in three years.
Ms. Botchwey campaigned on a platform of leading the organization to tackle climate change, uphold democracy, increase intra-commonwealth trade, pursue education for young people and women, use technology to create jobs and strengthen the secretariat.
She said: “I pledge to work for a Commonwealth of the Peoples. I intend to work with all stakeholders towards the yearning for a Commonwealth that is closer to the people and whose relevance is felt in the daily lives of people.
“To the peoples of the Commonwealth, I say this is your organization. Let’s join hands to facilitate the political will necessary for transformation and resilience building. “
