I was delighted that my foundation, The Wellbeing Foundation Africa, was represented by my Global Policy and Philanthropy Office at last week’s Welcome Reception for the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, hosted at Lancaster House, London and supported by GUBA Foundation.

I extend my warmest congratulations and full support to Secretary-General Botchwey as she embarks upon her tenure of leadership at this pivotal juncture, as the first African woman to lead the Commonwealth Secretariat, and in recognition of her steadfast commitment to unity, equity, and transformative multilateralism across our 56 member nations.

Her keynote address offered a compelling vision, one grounded in the enduring values of cooperation, progress, and shared responsibility. She spoke not only of rising pressures but of rising purpose. With clarity and conviction, she highlighted the urgent imperative for smart, strategic partnerships to advance climate justice, inclusive trade, youth opportunity, and the health and wellbeing of our peoples, reminding us that the Commonwealth is not merely a symbol of principled alliance, but a space for active solutions.

At The Wellbeing Foundation Africa, in recognition of our longstanding allyship with the Commonwealth Secretariat, we resonate deeply with this agenda and echo the Secretary-General’s resolve to harness the full dividends of our Commonwealth to ensure that no nation, and no community within it, is left behind.