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Ghana’s Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey named Secretary General of the Commonwealth
On the final day of the Commonwealth summit in Samoa, Ghana’s foreign minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, was appointed as the organization’s new secretary general.
Botchwey, who has served as Ghana’s foreign minister since 2017 and is a former member of parliament, has actively supported calls for reparations related to transatlantic slavery and colonialism – a stance shared by the other candidates for the role.
Expressing gratitude on social media, Botchwey shared that she was “truly humbled” by her selection, adding, “The work indeed lies ahead!”
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
Her appointment coincided with the conclusion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which saw prominent calls for the UK to address its role in the transatlantic slave trade, along with discussions on the global climate crisis.
