Kudos, Madam Ayokor Bocthwey, our facilitating moments of trailblazing as Commonwealth Secretary General

Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botch­wey, has been elected as the next Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations. She becomes the first African woman to be elected to the position.

Madam Botchwey had an over­whelming majority of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth who cast their votes at a retreat in Apia, Samoa and triumphed over notable contenders such as Senator Joshua Setipa of Lesotho and Dr Mamadou Tangara of The Gambia.

The Secretary-General is selected by consensus by Commonwealth leaders and can serve a maximum of two four-year terms.

Her candidacy was strongly sup­ported by both President Akufo-Ad­do and former President John Ma­hama. This bipartisan endorsement underscored Ghana’s unified backing for her leadership role and thus convincing votes during the voting process to beat other contestants.

She will, therefore, lead the global organisation of 2.7 million people as the seventh Commonwealth Sec­retary-General, commencing April 2025. She will also be the second woman to assume that role, as she succeeds the United Kingdom’s Baroness Patricia Scotland.

This is a woman trailblazer by all standards. A woman who has all to show by way of success and achieve­ments. Not necessarily because she is a politician but importantly because she justifies her calling all along.

Madam Botchwey has served as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Re­gional Integration of Ghana, a senior cabinet position since January 10, 2017. As Foreign Minister, she has led the Council of Ministers of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for two successive terms from July 2020 to the present.

Under her leadership, the Council has advised the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on the response to the se­curity situation in the Sahel, including four military takeovers, one attempt­ed coup and a failed coup; the review of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Governance; the re­form of the ECOWAS Commission; and ECOWAS budget reforms to ensure efficiency and more funding for Community Programmes.

In that role, she has led the pro­cess of negotiations towards transi­tions to democracy with the military regimes that have seized power in the ECOWAS region since 2020, includ­ing as leader of the ECOWAS dele­gations to Guinea and Burkina Faso and as a member of the ECOWAS Mediation Mission to Mali.

She has extensive experience in diplomacy, having served as a Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs in the last term of President John Agyekum Kufuor from 2006-2007 and 2008-2009. She oversaw an extensive transformation in both human resource development and conditions of service for Foreign Service Officers while streamlining and improving consular and passport services both at home and at Ghana’s missions abroad, introducing digitisa­tion and enhanced online services.

Ghana’s foreign policy successes under her leadership include the high visibility and positive image Ghana enjoys under the Presidency of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. She led Ghana’s suc­cessful campaign for membership in the United Nations Security Council for the term 2022-2023.

Per her duties, Madam Ayokor Boctwey urgently needs to roll her sleeves to strengthen the role of the organisation to promote peace, pros­perity, the rule of law, democracy, good governance, and shared values among its member countries.

Now, promoting democracy and human rights among member coun­tries has become more paramount than ever. The Commonwealth of Nations has to improve small busi­ness development, legislation, elec­tion monitoring, and human rights, particularly promoting the role and rights of young people and women.

The Commonwealth of Nations’ role in supporting economic growth is up for imparting to member countries. The organisation has to encourage, develop and sustain intra-trade activities among member countries to help boost trade and create prosperity.

For now, trade between Com­monwealth countries is estimated to be worth more than one trillion US dollars, and it is projected to increase to 1.5 trillion dollars by 2028. When pragmatic measures are put in place to be religiously pursued, member countries will experience a vast wealth creation. Currently, the total wealth of Commonwealth countries is approximately $150 trillion, which is 10 times greater than their com­bined GDP of $15.6.

Madam Botchwey’s term is antici­pated to bring fresh perspectives and strengthened ties among member states, with a particular focus on en­hancing regional cooperation within the Commonwealth.

The organisation’s economy is diverse, with countries ranging from large economies to small states and developing nations. Fourteen mem­ber countries are designated as Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by the United Nations. LDCs are low-in­come countries that are vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks. A comprehensive wealth creation agenda could, therefore, help such nations to pick their heads up from their poverty as a benefit of being a member of the organisation

Member states, especially Gha­na, will want to see how the new Secretary General will pursue a programme on protecting their environment, ensuring the use of natural resources sustainably and addressing climate challenges. This is against the backdrop of the high rate of environmental degradation, such as vast forest depletion and wanton destruction of water bodies in some member countries.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary union of 56 independent sovereign states, 21 of these nations are found in Africa), most of which claim some past connection with the Brit­ish Empire, and it is headed by Britain’s King Charles. It has a secretariat established in 1965, and it is located in London. For emphasis, Its primary aim is to support member countries in achieving develop­ment, democracy, and peace.

It is one organisation that has worked hard concerning the ocean agreement known as the Blue Char­ter, which seeks to provide legal ‘toolkits’ to member coun­tries to help them enact climate legislation and re­inforce democratic principles

She has made histo­ry as the first African woman to hold the prestigious post and ushering in a new era of leadership for the Commonwealth.

Madam Botchwey takes office at a time when the organisation is seeking to get things right among member countries, such as human and media rights, which are generally seen as under threat across the Common­wealth as well as media freedom.

The world, including the member states of the Commonwealth, is unfortunately experiencing politi­cal persecution, attacks on the rule of law, and modern slavery. It is believed that the Commonwealth’s human rights were embedded in shared values. The urgent need for the Commonwealth to “operation­alise” its policies and principles towards this is deemed crucial.

Leadership, they say, is an action, not a position. This means a leader should consistently seek out oppor­tunities to lead and serve others. Madam New Secretary General must, therefore, be mindful of the fact that without the exhibition of true leadership, nothing will happen within the organisation; without leadership, there will be no change, without leadership, nothing will improve, without leadership, nothing will be corrected; without leadership, nothing will succeed. Leadership is the key in all human endeavours, including leading such a huge global organisation.

The Commonwealth emphasises leadership based on mutual respect, democra­cy, and human rights, with a focus on development and support for smaller or developing nations. Leadership initia­tives must target youth empow­erment, educa­tion, trade, and environmental sustainability. The Com­monwealth must encour­age younger leaders to par­ticipate actively, recognising that inclusive lead­ership is key to achieving a peaceful and prosperous future across diverse nations.