Trade and investment – Vision of the new commonwealth – Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey.

Ghana’s candidate for the Commonwealth Secretary General’s position, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has rolled out her vision for the Commonwealth, if she gets the nod come October 22, 2024. At a lecture organized by the Council of Foreign Relations in Accra, the Foreign Minister said her vision is premised on six pillars including trade and investment, youth and education and skills, innovation and start- ups, mobility and labour markets and climate change.

This year marked the 5th anniversary of the Council on Foreign Relations – a think tank with focus on Ghana’s foreign policy and international affairs. And as part of the anniversary, Ghana’s candidate for the Commonwealth Secretary General’s position, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey gave a lecture about her vision for the Commonwealth.

Themed a new Commonwealth in a fast- evolving world, Ghana’s top diplomat touched on international architecture hinged on multilateralism and the threat, opportunities within the Commonwealth, challenges including climate change and what could be done to make the 56-member organization more responsive to the needs of its members.

She believes, creating a free trade agreement among member states of the Commonwealth could help to improve the lot of the 2.5 billion people within the organization. Innovation and start-ups and mobility of labour markets were high on her to-do list, if she is elected as the next Secretary General of the Commonwealth.

Climate Change is causing havoc in many lands and climes, but some are reeling more under pressure including the Small Island states. The candidature of Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey for the Commonwealth Secretary General position has been bolstered by the endorsement of the African Union since the slot is now for Africa to fill. The election for the Secretary General of the Commonwealth will come off in Apia, the capital of Samoa in October 22, 2024.