Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey elected Secretary-General of the Commonwealth

At the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Apia, the capital of Samoa, Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, was elected Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

The 61-year-old diplomat faced strong competition from two other African candidates: Mamadou Tangara, Gambia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, and Joshua Phoho Setipa, former trade minister of Lesotho.

“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 announced on X on Friday, 25 October.

Botchwey will succeed Baroness Patricia Scotland, who holds dual citizenship in the Dominican Republic and the United Kingdom, as Scotland’s second and final term concludes at the end of 2024.

With nearly 20 years of experience in governance and diplomacy, Botchwey has made steady advancements in her career. As Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration since 2017, she is recognized for her progressive vision, particularly her establishment of the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), enhancing Ghana’s diplomatic services by improving training and resources for Ghanaian diplomats.