THE NEWLY-appointed Commonwealth Secretary-General is promising a unified voice on reparations.
At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, leaders announced the selection of the Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who is currently Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, in Ghana.
Botchwey has previously said she supports reparations for the Transatlantic slave trade according to a report by Reuters.
“I stand for reparations,” Botchwey said, adding that the Commonwealth could have a role to play in this if the organisation’s member states forge a “common voice” on the issue.
Following her election as the seventh Secretary-Greneral of the Commonwealth, Botchwey said in a statement: “This occasion marks a new chapter in our shared journey towards deepening democracy, peace, prosperity, and economic progress.
“As I take on this role, I am inspired by the diversity and resilience of our member states. We come from different nations and cultures, but we share a common wealth of values.
“My vision is to build on these strengths, promoting trade, education, skills development and innovation for the teeming numbers of young people across our Commonwealth.
“I shall provide leadership and work tirelessly with member-states, and in collaboration with other international multilateral institutions, towards addressing climate change which presents a clear existential threat to our Commonwealth. I shall harness opportunities for transformation, and enhance our global voice.”
Opportunities
Botchwey is the second successive woman to take up the office of Commonwealth Secretary-General, after Baroness Patricia Scotland, the current office-holder.
She also said she looks forward to working under King Charles III’s leadership.
She said: “I shall prioritize inclusive and effective decision-making, leveraging technology to bridge gaps and amplify marginalized voices. My extensive experience in diplomacy, trade, defense, security, and communications has prepared me well for this challenge.”
Botchwey added that opportunities must be created for young people across the Commonwealth.
She added: “Together, we can achieve climate resilience, promote economic transformation, and leverage technology to create opportunities for our young people. We can deepen democracy, good governance, intra-Commonwealth trade, build resilient and thriving societies, and resource our organization better.
“We must unite in pursuit of these; and when we all meet again in two years, we should see a Commonwealth that is well on its way to better shape than we find it today.”
She also acknowledged the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who appointed her Foreign Minister.
“I thank him for his unwavering leadership and support over the course of my tenure as Minister” she said.
Botchwey was one of three candidates hoping to become the next Secretary-General of the Commonwealth – an organisation made up of 56 countries headed by King Charles.
The other two candidates were Mamadou Tangara of Gambia and Joshua Setipa of Lesotho, also said they support reparations for slavery.
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.
