Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey Elected Secretary-General of Commonwealth
Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has been elected secretary-general of the Commonwealth at 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, the capital of the Pacific Island nation of Samoa.
At 61, the seasoned diplomat faced stiff competition from two other African contenders: Lesotho’s former trade minister Joshua Phoho Setipa and Gambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mamadou Tangara.
“Today at #CHOGM2024, Commonwealth Heads of Government have selected the Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, currently the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana, as the incoming Secretary-General of the Commonwealth,” the Commonwealth shared on X on Friday (25 October).
She takes over from Baroness Patricia Scotland, a dual Dominican-British citizen, whose second and final tenure expires at the end of 2024.
Career
Botchwey’s career has been one of steady advancement, marked by nearly 20 years of experience in diplomacy and governance, including her tenure since 2017 as Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Known for her forward-thinking policies, she has transformed Ghana’s diplomatic services, establishing the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) to enhance skills and working conditions of Ghanaian diplomats.
Botchwey has also led and pushed through significant digitalisation of consular and passport services, simplifying processes for Ghanaians at home and abroad.
Her international profile soared as she championed Ghana’s foreign policy agenda, particularly during the country’s recent two-year term on the United Nations Security Council.
Strengthening diasporan links
One of her landmark achievements came in December 2023 when she secured a historic win for Africa with the unanimous adoption of UN Resolution 2719, enabling UN funding for African Union-led peace operations.
The resolution was celebrated as a diplomatic milestone for African autonomy in peacekeeping efforts.
Botchwey has also played a key role in promoting Ghana’s global cultural connections, notably through the 2019 “Year of Return” and “Beyond the Return” campaigns, which commemorated 400 years since the start of the transatlantic slave trade.
These initiatives not only cemented Ghana as a cultural home for the African diaspora but also strengthened ties between Africa and the Caribbean.
In addition, Botchwey served as chair of the Council of Ministers for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from 2020 to 2022, where she deftly navigated diplomatic challenges to support stability in a region fraught with political turbulence and security threats in the Sahel.
Her qualifications are extensive, with a degree from the Ghana School of Law, an Executive MBA from the University of Ghana Business School and an MA in public communications from the University of Westminster.
Botchwey, also a barrister and solicitor of Ghana’s Supreme Court, previously led a marketing and communications consultancy, a background that has sharpened her diplomatic and public relations skills.
At a recent debate, Botchwey made her vision clear: “The Commonwealth is meaningful if it impacts the lives and safeguards our planet,” she said.
She cited urgent challenges facing the Commonwealth, including climate change, threats to democracy and disinformation, as priorities for member states striving for sustainable development.
