Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has praised Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his support throughout her career in public service.

In a post shared on her X page on Tuesday, May 18, 2025, she wrote:
"Honoured to welcome former President of Ghana, @NAkufoAddo, to Marlborough House. I thank you for your unflinching support from my time as Ghana’s Foreign Minister to now as Commonwealth Secretary-General."

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs has already begun her tenure as the 7th Secretary-General of the 56-nation Commonwealth, becoming the first Ghanaian to hold the prestigious position.

She succeeded Baroness Patricia Scotland after being elected by consensus at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, in 2024.

In her maiden address delivered at the Commonwealth Secretariat’s headquarters in London, she underscored the critical role the Commonwealth must play in addressing global economic and political challenges.

“The world we live in today is unlike any we have seen before,” she stated, pointing to the consequences of economic downturns, rising defence spending, and weakened multilateralism on employment, poverty, and social protection systems.

She reaffirmed that the Commonwealth’s core values — democracy, good governance, peace, human rights, and equal opportunity remain vital in tackling these shared challenges.

Outlining her strategic priorities, she stated she would focus on three key areas: empowering women and young people with essential skills and opportunities, revitalising trade and investment for inclusive growth, and strengthening climate action, particularly to support vulnerable member states.

The visit is the first Nana Akufo-Addo has made to the Commonwealth Headquarters since Ayorkor Botchwey took over the helm of the organisation.

See her post below: