Shirley Botchwey Becomes First African Woman Appointed as Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Appointment
On April 1, 2025, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, from Ghana, recently assumed office as the 7th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations.
- With this, she has become the first woman from Africa to hold this office. Also, she is the second woman to take on the position.
- She recently succeeded Baroness Patricia Janet Scotland of Dominica, who was appointed as the 6th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations in November 2015, becoming the first woman to hold this position.
- She was recently appointed by the Commonwealth Heads of Government during their biennial meeting in Apia, Samoa, in 2024.
Main Point :- (i) The Secretary-General is nominated by Commonwealth leaders and can serve up to two terms, each lasting four years.
(ii) The position involves promoting and protecting the Commonwealth's values, representing the Commonwealth in public, and overseeing the management of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
About The Commonwealth (Commonwealth of Nations)
Head: Charles III
Headquarters: London, the United Kingdom (UK)
____________________________
