Commonwealth elects new secretary-general at Samoa summit amid low attendance

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is currently taking place in Apia, Samoa, but the summit has seen a notable lack of attendance from several major member states.

Leaders such as President William Ruto of Kenya, Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, India’s Narendra Modi, and Canada’s Justin Trudeau are among those missing.

A pivotal item on the agenda was the election of the Commonwealth's new secretary-general.

Three candidates vied for the position. These were Ghana’s Foreign Affairs and Integration Minister Shirley Botchwey, Lesotho’s former Finance Minister Joshua Setipa, and Gambia’s Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara.

In a significant announcement, Commonwealth leaders selected Ghana’s Shirley Botchwey as the new secretary-general. She becomes the second African to lead the organisation, succeeding Dominica’s Patricia Scotland, who has held the position since 2016.

"This is a momentous occasion for the Commonwealth," Botchwey stated after her appointment.

"I look forward to working collaboratively with member states to address our shared challenges and aspirations."

The summit concluded today with the theme “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth.”

Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to tackling global economic, environmental, and security challenges while emphasising resilience, sustainable trade, and inclusive growth, particularly focusing on empowering youth and women.

Additionally, Antigua and Barbuda was announced as the incoming Chair-in-Office and host country for the next CHOGM.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal sovereign states, representing a combined population of approximately 2.7 billion.