KEY POINTS
- Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey is a top candidate for Commonwealth Secretary-General.
- If elected, she would be the second African and second woman in the role.
- Her focus includes democracy, climate change, and small nations.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, is a strong candidate to become the next Commonwealth Secretary-General. Experts in international relations believe her experience and dedication make her a top contender to replace the outgoing Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland.
Election set for Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa
The election will take place at the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, from October 21 to 26. Botchwey is running against two other African candidates: Senator Joshua Setipa from Lesotho and Dr. Mamadou Tangara from Gambia.
Both Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo and former President John Dramani Mahama have endorsed Botchwey. This year’s CHOGM meeting focuses on “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth,” and aims to strengthen democracy and address the impact of climate change on small and island nations.
If elected, Botchwey would become the second African and the second woman to lead the Commonwealth, following Nigeria’s Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Patricia Scotland. President Akufo-Addo has expressed full confidence in Botchwey’s ability to lead, stating,
“I believe Foreign Minister Botchwey will help renew and strengthen our economies through cooperation and action.”
Botchwey’s priorities include democracy, climate change, and small nations
Since announcing her candidacy earlier this year, Botchwey has been meeting with Commonwealth leaders around the world to share her plans for the role. Speaking about her motivations, she said,
“I care about the Commonwealth and its people. I have the leadership skills and determination to make positive changes. The Commonwealth has great potential for its 2.68 billion citizens, and I am committed to making that a reality.”
According to a report by Graphic Online, Botchwey highlighted some of her achievements in diplomacy, such as leading efforts at the UN Security Council to secure funding for Africa-led peace operations. She also worked with ECOWAS to prevent coups and led reforms to make the organization more efficient.
She also collaborated with the G7 to address global peace, security, and development issues and helped strengthen ties between Africa and the Caribbean through Ghana’s “Year of Return” initiative.
If she wins, Botchwey plans to focus on key areas like democracy, trade, investment, youth development, climate change, and support for small and island nations. She wants to make sure the Commonwealth continues to serve the needs of its members.
The Commonwealth is an organization of 56 member countries, most of which are former British colonies. The Secretary-General is chosen by Commonwealth leaders and can serve up to two four-year terms.
