The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming support she received from the Commonwealth Heads of Government following her election as the new Secretary-General of the Commonwealth at the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2024) in Apia, Samoa.

In a post shared on her official X page on Saturday, October 26, 2024, she noted, "Truly humbled by the overwhelming support of the Commonwealth Heads of Government in selecting me as the incoming Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. The work indeed lies ahead!”

Her election marks a historic moment as she becomes the first African woman and the second woman overall, following Patricia Scotland, to lead the 56-nation Commonwealth.

She emerged as the preferred candidate after competing with Senator Joshua Setipa of Lesotho and Dr. Mamadou Tangara of The Gambia.

Her nomination was strongly backed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and former President John Dramani Mahama, reflecting a Commonwealth consensus for an African leader to take on the role.

Her remarkable journey from a secretary in the 1990s to becoming a Member of Parliament for one of Ghana's most populous constituencies and then rising through various roles, including deputy minister and foreign minister, is proof of her relentless dedication.

As she embarks on her new role, her focus for the Commonwealth include strengthening democratic institutions, promoting human rights, and addressing climate challenges, particularly those impacting small and island states—issues central to CHOGM 2024, themed “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming Our Common Wealth.”

Read her post below:

Truly humbled by the overwhelming support of the Commonwealth Heads of Government in selecting me as the incoming Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. The work indeed lies ahead! pic.twitter.com/1VnkKf6XyR

— Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (@AyorkorBotchwey) October 25, 2024