Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has reaffirmed her commitment to making trade and investment central to the organisation’s renewed vision and relevance.
Speaking at the 2025 Commonwealth Trade & Investment Summit held at Mansion House in the City of London on April 7, she emphasized the pivotal role of trade in strengthening economies across the Commonwealth.
“Trade is a central priority for the Commonwealth under my leadership,” she declared. “I want trade and investment to be at the heart of the Commonwealth’s renewal. And I want to work with each of you to maximize its value to our investors, our enterprises, and our citizens who live across the Commonwealth.”
She addressed the global challenges disrupting markets, including sweeping tariffs that have adversely affected some member states. In light of these developments, Ayorkor Botchwey underscored the pressing need for greater collaboration among member nations.
“This is very far from business as usual. And business as usual wasn’t working for the Commonwealth. It underlines why Commonwealth cooperation on trade has never been more urgent—or more valuable,” she stated.
The Secretary-General highlighted the Commonwealth’s unique advantage in fostering trust, cooperation, and shared opportunity amid global uncertainty and fragmentation.
She urged stakeholders to work together to leverage trade and investment as engines of economic growth, resilience, and stability across the 56-member group.
The summit brought together political leaders, investors, and business executives from across the Commonwealth to explore strategies for expanding trade and investment, in line with the organisation’s goal of driving inclusive and sustainable prosperity.
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