Shirley Botchwey Assumes Office as the 7th Commonwealth Secretary General
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Shirley Botchwey assumes office as the 7th Commonwealth Secretary General |
| Date | 1st April 2025 |
| Key Achievement | First African woman to hold the position |
| Predecessor | Patricia Scotland of Dominica |
| Election | Elected at CHOGM 2024 in Apia, Samoa |
| Term Duration | 4 years (renewable for a maximum of two terms) |
| Background | Ghanaian politician and diplomat |
| Previous Role | Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana |
| Other Roles | Member of Ghana's National Security Council, businesswoman, consultant in tourism |
| Commonwealth Functions | Promote values, represent internationally, manage Secretariat, facilitate cooperation |
| Previous Secretaries General | Arnold Smith (Canada), Sir Shridath Ramphal (Guyana), Chief Emeka Anyaoku (Nigeria), Don McKinnon (New Zealand), Kamalesh Sharma (India), Patricia Scotland (Dominica) |
| Commonwealth of Nations | Political association of 56 independent countries with roots in the British Empire |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Head of the Commonwealth | British Monarch |