The new Commonwealth Secretary-General reflects on her first six months in office.
Hon. Shirley Botchwey is the 7th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth and the first woman from Africa to hold this office. She was appointed by Commonwealth Heads of Government at their biennial meeting in Samoa in 2024 and assumed office on 1 April 2025, bringing more than 20 years of leadership experience in diplomacy, international relations, governance and public service to the position.
A lawyer, diplomat and politician, she was previously the Foreign Minister of Ghana (2017 to 2024) and was a member of Ghana’s National Security Council. Her previous roles include Deputy Foreign Minister, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry (2001–2009) and a Member of Ghana’s Parliament (2005 to 2021) for the Weija and later Anyaa-Sowutuom constituencies, representing the largest population base in the country’s legislature across four consecutive terms.
Prior to entering politics, Shirley Botchwey led a successful marketing and communications firm and served as a consultant in the tourism sector.
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Courtesy of: Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
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Interview Source: The Parliamentarian
