Reparations for slavery a top priority for new Commonwealth Secretary-General

THE NEWLY-appointed Commonwealth Secretary-General is promising a unified voice on reparations. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, leaders announced the selection of the Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who is currently Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, in Ghana. Botchwey has previously said she supports reparations for the Transatlantic slave trade according to a report by Reuters. “I stand for reparations,” Botchwey said, adding that the Commonwealth could have a role to play in this if the organisation’s member states forge a “common voice” on the issue. Following her election as the seventh Secretary-Greneral of the Commonwealth, Botchwey said in a statement: “This occasion marks a new chapter in our shared journey towards deepening democracy, peace, prosperity, and economic progress. “As I take on this role, I am inspired by the diversity and resilience of our member states. We come from different nations and cultures, but we share a common wealth of values. “My vision is to build on these strengths, promoting trade, education, skills development and innovation for the teeming numbers of young people across our Commonwealth. “I shall provide leadership and work tirelessly with member-states, and in collaboration with other international multilateral institutions,...