Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey meets King Charles as she begins Commonwealth Secretary-General role

The Head of the Commonwealth, King Charles III, has formally received Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey at Windsor Castle following her appointment as the new Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

The courtesy call marks the beginning of Ayorkor Botchwey’s tenure as the 7th Secretary-General of the 56-member Commonwealth, succeeding Patricia Scotland.

The update was shared on the official X (formerly Twitter) page of the Royal Family on Friday, April 4, 2025.

“The King, as Head of the Commonwealth, received The Hon. Shirley Botchwey upon her appointment as the new Commonwealth Secretary-General at Windsor Castle this morning,” the post read.

Ayorkor Botchwey, the first African woman to hold this position, was appointed by Commonwealth Heads of Government at their biennial meeting in Apia, Samoa, in 2024.

She brings to her new role over 20 years of leadership experience in diplomacy, international relations, governance, and public service.

Brief profile of Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey

Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey served as Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration from January 2017 to January 2024 and was a member of Ghana’s National Security Council.

Earlier in her career, she held the roles of Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Information, and Trade and Industry during the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor (2001–2009).

From 2005 to 2021, she served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Weija and later Anyaa-Sowutuom constituencies, representing for four consecutive terms.

Before entering politics, she led a successful marketing and communications firm and also worked as a consultant in the tourism sector.

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