Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, held strategic meetings with Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth and Foreign Minister Maneesh Gobin in Port Louis.

They discussed key bilateral issues and her candidacy for Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

“We had a very fruitful meeting. Our two countries have very close bonds,” Ms Botchwey told journalists after her closed-door discussion with Prime Minister Jugnauth.

She also shared her vision for the Commonwealth, emphasising democracy, good governance, the impact of climate change on Small Island Developing States like Mauritius, and the importance of skills training, youth employment, and intra-Commonwealth trade and investment.

Ghana is set to host an investment promotion event in Mauritius later this month, under the theme “Ghana, the Preferred Investment Destination in West Africa,” an initiative led by the Ghanaian Consulate in collaboration with Mauritius’ Economic Development Board (EDBM).

In her discussions with Foreign Minister Gobin, Ms Botchwey, a strong advocate for increased Commonwealth trade, praised Trinidad and Tobago’s Republic Bank for its successful expansion into Ghana and Africa.

She encouraged more Commonwealth nations to pursue similar ventures, noting that “The Commonwealth is at a crossroads, with immense potential yet to be fully realised.”

Ms Botchwey also addressed the current political unrest in some Commonwealth countries, underscoring the need for good governance and the “democratic dividend,” which she defined as the economic benefits—such as investment, employment, and innovation—that should accrue to citizens of democratic nations, particularly the youth.

Both ministers expressed concern over the threats posed by misinformation and disinformation on social media, particularly in multi-ethnic and multicultural Commonwealth nations.

Ms Botchwey, with her extensive experience in governance and media, having served as Deputy Minister for Information and Communications before her current role, highlighted the importance of addressing these challenges.

The meetings also touched on pending bilateral projects, including a “smart city” project in Ghana, an air services agreement, and a circular migration protocol, which would allow citizens of partner countries to work in each other’s countries under a regulated arrangement.

If elected at the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit in Samoa this October, Ms Botchwey would make history as the first female African Commonwealth Secretary-General, following in the footsteps of Nigeria’s Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

Ms Botchwey has served as Ghana’s Foreign Minister and a member of the country’s Security Council since 2017 and boasts an impressive career as a four-term legislator, high-ranking member of the ECOWAS Parliament, and former Chair of the regional body’s Council of Ministers.

Ghana, the first African country to join the Commonwealth after its independence from Britain in 1957, continues to play a pivotal role in the organization.