Ghana emerges winner at the Commonwealth Secretary-General Race. The Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, was elected as the the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Apia, Samoa.
She will succeed the outgoing Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, Baroness Scotland of the United Kingdom.
Botchwey’s candidacy received strong endorsements from both President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and former President John Dramani Mahama, who praised her diplomatic expertise, experience, and progressive vision for the Commonwealth.
Competing against Senator Joshua Setipa of Lesotho and Dr. Mamadou Tangara of The Gambia, Botchwey’s victory signals a unified decision among Commonwealth leaders to pass the leadership torch to Africa.
President Akufo-Addo, in nominating Botchwey, highlighted his confidence in her ability to steer the Commonwealth towards renewal, focusing on cooperation to build resilient and thriving economies.
During her campaign, Botchwey emphasized her commitment to harnessing the Commonwealth’s potential to benefit its 2.68 billion citizens.
Botchwey’s diplomatic career is marked by significant milestones. As Ghana’s Foreign Minister, she led initiatives such as the groundbreaking UN Resolution 27/19 in 2023, securing UN funding for African-led peace support operations.
In her role as Chair of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, she was instrumental in strengthening democracy across West Africa, helping to reform protocols aimed at preventing coups and promoting good governance.
