Ayorkor Botchwey announces her candidacy for Commonwealth Secretary-General position

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has officially expressed her interest in the position of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement released on February 2, 2024, revealed that following an agreement within the Commonwealth that the next Secretary-General would be from Africa, President Nana Akufo-Addo nominated Madam Botchwey as Ghana’s candidate.

The election for the new Secretary-General of the 56-member organization is scheduled for October 22, 2024, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa to replace Baroness Patricia Scotland, a dual Dominican-British citizen, whose second and final term concludes at the end of 2024.

President Akufo-Addo, justifying his decision for the nomination of Ayorkor Botchwey in the statement said; “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).

“Hon. Botchwey has been endorsed by the African Union and also enjoys considerable support across all regions of the Commonwealth. Hon. Botchwey is a lawyer, diplomat, politician, and communications professional, with extensive experience in international relations diplomacy, and public service. She is also a member of the National Security Council,” the statement added.

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 the financial systems.

Find the full statement below;