CLGF is delighted to inform members that, following the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2024) in Apia, Samoa, Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the current Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana, was elected Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. She will be the first African woman and Ghanaian to lead the Commonwealth when she assumes office on 1st April, 2025, succeeding H.E. Patricia Scotland KC.  

Building on Commonwealth values

Hon Botchwey has pledged to build on the values of the Commonwealth to promote trade, harness the strengths of member states in collaboration with other multilateral institutions towards addressing climate change, and to support education, skills development and innovation, with a particular focus on the needs of young people across the Commonwealth.

Continuing to promote local government

CLGF looks forward to working closely with the in-coming Secretary General in ensuring that the role and needs of local government are reflected in delivering these commitments. We also look forward to strengthening our collective commitment, together with our CSCI partners, to strengthening implementation of the Commonwealth Declaration on Sustainable Urbanisation (2022). 

Read the media statement of Hon Botchwey following her election.

Image courtesy of the Commonwealth Secretariat