Tinubu congratulates Shirley Botchwey on appointment as new Commonwealth Secretary-General
By DAVID IORJA, Abuja-
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Shirley Botchwey, on her election as the incoming Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.
NATIONAL ACCORD reports that leaders of the 56 Commonwealth nations gathered in Apia, Samoa, on Friday, October 25, 2024, and elected Botchwey as the 7th Secretary-General. Botchwey, a 61-year-old former lawmaker and Ghana’s foreign minister for the past seven years, will be the second African to hold this position.
Botchwey, who is expected to start her new role on April 1st, 2025. Is the second African to be elected secretary-general of the Commonwealth in its 75-year history, after Chief Emeka Anyaoku of Nigeria, who served in that position from July 1, 1990 to March 31, 2000.
President Tinubu while reacting to her appointment in a statement by Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy, said Botchwey had the backing of Nigeria for the top commonwealth job.
According to Onanuga, the Nigerian leader believes that Botchwey’s extensive career in public administration, foreign affairs and regional development makes her a perfect fit for the job.
“He (Tinubu) trusts that Botchwey’s leadership experience will bring renewed energy to the Commonwealth’s efforts to advance meaningful economic and political partnerships that will drive development and amplify the bloc’s voice in global affairs.
“President Tinubu looks forward to working with the incoming Secretary-General to advance the Commonwealth’s vision of fostering peace, equity and prosperity for all member nations,” he said.
The President reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to championing a Commonwealth that prioritised the strengthening of intra-commonwealth trade, African exports, and a unified presence at the United Nations that supported an African bid for a permanent representation at the Security Council.
The President thanked the outgoing Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland, for her years of leadership and wished her the best in her future endeavours. (NAN)