The Institute of International Affairs Ghana GhIIA has called for full support for the candidature of Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration as the next Commonwealth Secretary General.

The Institute noted that the former lawmaker for Anyaa-Sowutuom has the requisite credentials and qualifications to run the Commonwealth.  The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth operates from the Commonwealth Secretariat offices in Marlborough House, London.

The current secretary-general, Patricia Janet Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal is due to end her term in 2024. She is the 6th Secretary-General of the organization and the first woman to hold the position.

Reacting to a question from the section of the media during the institute briefing session on International Women’s Day, Miss Elizabeth Dela Tsidi the Senior Administrative Attaché of the Institute indicated that based on the Institute’s technical assessment, Ayorkor Botchwey is a perfect candidate for the Secretary General of the Commonwealth.


Throwing further light on this, the Senior Administrator of the Institute stated that, Madam Ayorkor Botchwey continues in a long line of Ghanaian women who have excelled on the international stage.

She said, ‘even within the Commonwealth, Ghanaian women have served diligently with personalities including Betty Mould-Iddrisu shining at the Commonwealth Secretariat. On her own record, the  Hon. Botchwey has been an excellent diplomat, and is, without doubt, one of the stars of the Ghanaian diplomatic service in this generation. She previously served as deputy foreign minister in the Kuffuor administration establishing a reputation for effective leadership in diplomacy and foreign policy. Her topline achievements include the stellar role she played in the AfCTA negotiations and her pioneering work to promote peace and security in ECOWAS.’

The role of the Commonwealth Secretary-General is the apex position within the Commonwealth Secretariat, the body charged with running the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries. It began as a grouping of former colonies of the United Kingdom but is increasingly becoming a bloc committed to trade, development, and good governance. It is home to 2.5 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. African Countries are a vibrant part of the Commonwealth with Rwanda, Togo, and Gabon, the newest members of the Commonwealth being African states. Ghana is reputed as one of Africa’s pioneers of the Commonwealth. Outside South Africa, it can be argued that Ghana is the first African country to join Commonwealth Since 1957.

The Ayorkor Botchwey served as the Member of Parliament for Anyaa-Sowutuom from 2013 to 2021, she, later on, became the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and a Minister of State at the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing in the Kufuor Administration.

She is currently the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for the Republic of Ghana in the Akufu-Addo administration, continuing an unbroken line of female foreign minister in Ghana since 2013.

Source: citifmonline