Malawi President welcomes Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey's candidacy for Commonwealth Secretary-General

Ghanaian

Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera has expressed a warm welcome to Ghana's Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, regarding her candidacy for the position of Commonwealth Secretary-General.

During their meeting in Lilongwe, President Chakwera commended Botchwey's skills and competence, stating that her candidature reflects the confidence placed in her by Ghana's President Akufo-Addo.

Botchwey's candidacy for the Commonwealth Secretary-General role was

Read full articleofficially announced in Ghana last Friday, garnering bipartisan support in the country's parliament.

The new Commonwealth Secretary-General will be selected to succeed Baroness Patricia Scotland during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting scheduled for October in Samoa. Baroness Scotland's term concludes at the end of 2024.

As agreed in the last meeting of the heads of government in Kigali in 2022, the new leader will hail from Africa. With 21 African countries in the Commonwealth, having a combined annual economic output of over US$13 trillion and a population exceeding 2.6 billion people, the role holds significant importance.

During the meeting, Botchwey outlined her vision for "a new Commonwealth," emphasising trade and investment, leveraging ICT for skills, innovation, and start-ups to create jobs for young people.

She also highlighted the importance of a migration compact to address demand and curb illegal and perilous migration. Botchwey stressed the Commonwealth's role in addressing climate change and called for concerted action to protect the planet.

President Chakwera appreciated Botchwey's focus on trade, investments, and young people, indicating support for her vision. In a reciprocal move, Malawi has granted visa-free entry to Ghanaians, fostering diplomatic ties between the two nations.