Commonwealth Secretary-General facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations
Incumbent The Baroness Scotland of Asthal since 1 April 2016
Style	Her Excellency
Residence	Garden House
Appointer	Commonwealth Heads of Government
Term length	Four years renewable once
Inaugural holder	Arnold Smith

The Commonwealth Secretary-General is the main leader of the Commonwealth Secretariat. This is like the central office for the Commonwealth of Nations. The Secretary-General helps represent the Commonwealth to the world. It's important not to confuse this role with the Head of the Commonwealth, who is a different leader.

What Does the Secretary-General Do?

This important job, along with the Secretariat office, was created in 1965. Commonwealth leaders met in London and decided the Secretary-General and their team should work for all Commonwealth countries. They get their power from the Commonwealth Heads of Government. The Secretary-General can also talk directly with these leaders.

The main office for the Secretary-General and the Secretariat is Marlborough House in London. This used to be a royal home. Queen Elizabeth II, who was the Head of the Commonwealth, let the Secretariat use it. Since the building isn't big enough for everyone, more office space is rented nearby. A big part of the Secretary-General's job is to travel. They visit different Commonwealth countries to stay in touch with their governments.

The Secretary-General lives in an official home called Garden House in London.

Leading the Secretariat Team

The Secretary-General leads the entire Commonwealth Secretariat. All staff members report to them. They get help from three Deputy Secretaries-General. These deputies are chosen by the Commonwealth Heads of Government. They are usually selected through the members' High Commissioners in London.

Currently, the Deputy Secretaries-General are Deodat Maharaj, Gary Dunn, and Josephine Ojiambo. Before 2014, there were only two deputies and an assistant for business matters. The Secretary-General can hire junior staff if the office can afford it. More senior staff are chosen from a list suggested by the heads of government. In reality, the Secretary-General has more say in who gets hired. Member governments often ask the Secretary-General for their opinion. Sometimes, the Secretary-General even suggests people themselves.

Officially, the Secretary-General has the same rank as a high commissioner or ambassador. But in practice, their rank is much higher. At big meetings like the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGMs), they are treated like the heads of government. The longest-serving head of government usually gets special preference. At other meetings, they are considered "first among equals."

The Secretary-General used to give yearly reports to the heads of government. Now, they report every two years at the CHOGM meetings. The Commonwealth's Board of Governors in London holds the Secretary-General accountable. Between 2016 and 2019, the number of staff at the Secretariat went down from 295 to 223.

How the Secretary-General is Chosen

Since 1993, the Secretary-General can serve a maximum of two four-year terms. The election happens every other CHOGM. The heads of government and other ministers vote. Countries can nominate candidates. They support their candidate throughout the election process. They can also choose to withdraw their candidate if they wish.

The election takes place in a special private meeting at the CHOGM. Only heads of government or their representatives can be there. The leader of the host country for the CHOGM is in charge. They find out which candidate has the most support. This is done through talks and secret straw polls.

Secretaries-General who want a second term are often re-elected without anyone running against them. This used to be a common practice. However, in 2003, Sri Lanka's Lakshman Kadirgamar tried to replace New Zealand's Don McKinnon. McKinnon easily won the vote, with 40 members voting for him and only 11 for Kadirgamar. In 2019, the high commissioners in London confirmed that it's okay for a Secretary-General to be challenged for a second term.

At the 2011 CHOGM, India's Kamalesh Sharma was re-elected for his second term without opposition. Sharma had won the job at the 2007 CHOGM. He beat Malta's Michael Frendo to take over from McKinnon, who had served his two terms.

At the 2015 CHOGM, Patricia Scotland was chosen. She was a former British government minister. Her home country, Dominica, nominated her. She won against Sir Ronald Sanders from Antigua and Barbuda and Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba from Botswana. Lady Scotland became the 6th Commonwealth Secretary-General and the first woman to hold the job. She started on April 1, 2016.

Lady Scotland's bid for a second term was challenged at the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. However, she won a second term. She reportedly beat Jamaican foreign minister Kamina Johnson Smith by 27 votes to 24. Because the CHOGM was delayed by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Scotland agreed to serve for only two more years.

At the 2024 CHOGM, Ghanaian foreign minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey was elected. She will take over from Baroness Scotland and begin her term on April 1, 2025.

List of Secretaries-General

No.	Portrait	Name	Country	Term start	Term end	Background	Head (Tenure)
1		Arnold Smith	Canada	1 July 1965	30 June 1975	Canadian ambassador to Egypt (1958–1961) Canadian ambassador to the USSR (1961–1963)	Elizabeth II (1952–2022)
2		Sir Shridath Ramphal	Guyana	1 July 1975	30 June 1990	Foreign Minister of Guyana (1972–1975)
3		Emeka Anyaoku	Nigeria	1 July 1990	31 March 2000	Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs (1977–1990)
4		Don McKinnon	New Zealand	1 April 2000	31 March 2008	Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand (1990–1996) Minister of Trade (1990–1996) Minister of Foreign Affairs (1990–1999)
5		Kamalesh Sharma	India	1 April 2008	31 March 2016	Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations (1997–2002) Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (2004–2008)
6		Patricia Scotland Baroness Scotland of Asthal	Dominica  United Kingdom	1 April 2016	Incumbent	Attorney General for England and Wales and Northern Ireland (2007–2010) UK Minister of State (Home Office; 2003–2007) UK Parliamentary Secretary (Lord Chancellor's Department; 2001–2003) UK Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (1999–2001) UK House of Lords (1997–present)
							Charles III (2022–present)
7		Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey	Ghana	Designate		Minister for Foreign Affairs for Ghana (2017–present)