Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, stands on the cusp of history as she vies for the position of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

The election will climax the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, the capital of the Pacific Island nation of Samoa, which ends tomorrow.

If successful, Ms Botchwey will become the second African to hold the position after Chief Emeka Anyaoku of Nigeria.

She comes up against two other candidates from the Africa Region, namely Mamadou Tangara of The Gambia and Joshua Setipa of Lesotho.

Africa makes up more than a third of the Commonwealth’s 56 member states.

The new Commonwealth Secretary-General will succeed Patricia Scotland, who has held the post since 2016.

Ms Botchwey’s candidacy comes at a time when the Commonwealth, which brings together nations from diverse cultures, is facing an array of global challenges, including economic stagnation, climate change, and increasing threats to democracy and human rights.

In her bid for the role, she highlights the Commonwealth’s unique position to foster international cooperation in order to support member nations through shared values and mutual support.

She projects kente, the hand-woven fabric emblematic of the Ghanaian culture, as the inspiration for her candidacy.

The vibrant colours and intricate designs of kente, each strand interwoven to create a harmonious whole, represent, for Ms Botchwey, the diversity and unity that the Commonwealth embodies.

“In the Commonwealth, industrialised and developing countries alike need one another. Each must reaffirm the other to enable the institution to work even better for all its peoples,” she said in one of her speeches leading up to the election.

Resilient Commonwealth

At the heart of Ms Botchwey’s campaign is her vision for a new, resilient Commonwealth. She acknowledges that the organisation must address the pressing issues of economic inequality, youth unemployment, and the devastating effects of climate change, particularly for small island developing states and other vulnerable countries.

To tackle these challenges, she advocates a comprehensive Commonwealth plan focused on key areas such as trade and investment, youth empowerment, education and skills development, innovation, and sustainable development.

Trade and investment are central pillars in her strategy. She believes that the Commonwealth can harness the collective strength of its member states to create economic opportunities that lift people out of poverty and build economies that are more robust.

She sees the Commonwealth as a platform that can facilitate access to markets, foster investment and promote entrepreneurship, particularly for young people and women who are often left out of traditional economic systems.

Proven leadership

Ms Botchwey is not new to the demands of high-level leadership. Over the past two decades, she has built an impressive record in diplomacy, trade, defence and security.

Her tenure as Chairperson of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers is particularly notable for the bold reforms she championed within the ECOWAS Commission. 

Those reforms resulted in significant savings which were redirected to support community programmes.

Despite overseeing these reforms during a period of political instability in West Africa, Ms Botchwey’s leadership ensured that ECOWAS remained a stabilising force in the region.

She personally led missions to several West African countries, playing a key role in their transitions back to democratic governance.

As a testament to her international influence, during Ghana’s two-year tenure on the United Nations Security Council, she worked to promote the interests of Africa and other developing countries.

Her leadership culminated in December 2023 when she successfully led the passage of a resolution that secured direct funding from the United Nations for African peace support operations, a significant achievement for African countries that have long struggled with under-funded peacekeeping missions.

Her diplomatic acumen, combined with her experience in negotiating complex international agreements, positions her well to lead the Commonwealth through its current challenges. 

Ms Botchwey has demonstrated time and again that she can navigate the intricacies of global governance, promote the interests of developing nations, and build coalitions to achieve shared goals.

The Dean of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, has expressed strong confidence in Ms Botchwey’s chances of securing the position.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, he expressed the belief that her current role as  Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration positioned her well for this new responsibility.

Additionally, he stressed that she had the full backing of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, which he considered a significant advantage.

He also pointed out that Ghana had a long-standing and influential history within the Commonwealth.

Notably, the country played a crucial role in advocating the establishment of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

He said that historical context, along with the country’s established pedigree within the Commonwealth, was expected to work in Ms Botchwey’s favour.

Against that background, Dr Antwi-Danso strongly believes that Madam Ayorkor Botchwey would succeed in her bid for Secretary-General.

He, however, stated that while the role would enhance Ghana’s standing and visibility in international relations, it might not bring direct monetary or other material benefits to the country.

“The primary gain for Ghana would be the prestige of having a Ghanaian in such a high-profile international position, giving the country greater visibility on the global stage. Beyond that, I do not foresee any specific advantages for Ghana from her potential appointment,” he said.