The new Secretary General of the Commonwealth

Apia, Samoa – 25 October 2024 – The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), today announced the selection of Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey of Ghana, as the incoming Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

Botchwey is the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana. She takes over from Patricia Scotland whose term ends in March 2025.

The 27^th meeting of the Commonwealth Leaders closes this evening after the Leaders Retreat at the Sheraton Samoa Beach Resort, Mulifanua.

The Secretary General heads the Commonwealth Secretariat that supports member countries to build democratic and inclusive institutions, strengthen governance and promote justice and human rights.

The Commonwealths’ work helps to grow economies and boost trade, deliver national resilience, empower young people, and address threats such as climate change, debt and inequality.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal sovereign states with a combined population is 2.7 billion, of which more than 60 per cent is aged 29 or under.

The Commonwealth spans the globe and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-three of the members are small states, many of which are island nations.