Ghana’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has formally expressed interest in the position of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.
Based on an understanding among members of the Commonwealth that its next Secretary-General would come from Africa, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo nominated Madam Botchwey as Ghana’s candidate.
A new Secretary-General of the 56-member organisation will be elected on 22nd October, 2024 at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa to replace Baroness Patricia Scotland, a dual Dominican-British citizen, whose second and final tenure expires at the end of 2024.
Nominating her, President Akufo-Addo stated, “I have strong confidence in Foreign Minister Botchwey to lead our aspiration for renewal and for building future-looking resilient and thriving economies, through community cooperation and action, as underscored at Kigali, Rwanda, during the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).”
The minister has been endorsed by the African Union, and also enjoys considerable support across all regions of the Commonwealth.
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey is a lawyer, diplomat, politician, and communications professional, with extensive experience in international relations and diplomacy, and public service. She is also a member of the National Security Council.
The Commonwealth is a diverse intergovernmental association headed by King Charles III. It promotes, among other objectives, democratic governance among member-states, and cooperation in trade, education, climate advocacy and transparency in financial systems.
Hon. Botchwey has served as Ghana’s Foreign Minister for the past seven years, during which she steered Ghana’s momentous two-year tenure on the United Nations Security Council, ending in December 2023.
She also chaired the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Ministers for two successive terms from 2020 to 2022.