Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey

Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey
7th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations
Assuming office
1 April 2025[1]
HeadCharles III
Chair
SucceedingThe Baroness Scotland of Asthal
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration
Incumbent
Assumed office
28 January 2017
PresidentNana Akufo-Addo
Preceded byHanna Tetteh
Member of the Ghana Parliament
for Anyaa Sowotuom
In office
7 January 2013 – 7 January 2021
PresidentJohn Mahama
Nana Akufo-Addo
Preceded byNew constituency
Majority4,545
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs
PresidentJohn Kufour
Personal details
Born
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey

(1963-02-08) 8 February 1963 (age 61)
Accra, Ghana
Political partyNew Patriotic Party
Children2
Education St Mary's Senior High School
Alma materUniversity of Ghana;
Gray's Inn, London
ProfessionJournalist
CabinetMinister
CommitteesGender and Children Committee Communications Committee

Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (born 8 February 1963) is the incoming Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations.[2][3] At the time of her appointment, she was Ghana's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. She was appointed foreign minister by Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo on 10 January 2017.[4][5] Previously, she was a Member of Parliament for Anyaa-Sowutuom from 2013 to 2021[6] and had served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and a Minister of State at the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing[7] under John Kufuor.[8][9] She is a member of the New Patriotic Party.

  1. ^ Leader's Statement (17) at https://thecommonwealth.org/news/chogm2024/Samoa-communique-leaders-statement-and-declarations
  2. ^ "Commonwealth Announces Ghana Foreign Minister As New Secretary General". Barron's. Agence France Presse. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ^ Ratcliffe, Rebecca (2024-10-26). "Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey appointed Commonwealth secretary general". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  4. ^ "Ayorkor Botchway is Foreign Affairs Minister-Designate". GhanaWeb. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
  5. ^ "Chinese Ambassador Pays Farewell Visit To Foreign Minister". DailyGuide Network. 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2020-06-05.
  6. ^ "Parliament of Ghana".
  7. ^ "Ministry of Water Resources, Works & Housing". ghana peacefmonline. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  8. ^ "Members of Parliament". www.parliament.gh. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Ayorkor Botchway targets 50k victory margin". Retrieved 2016-09-05.