{UAH} A BLACK WOMAN BECOMES FIRST WOMAN COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY GENERAL

Black woman becomes first woman Commonwealth Secretary General

 November 28, 2015 Editorial Team  0 Comment

 

(L-R) Kamalesh Sharma, outgoing Commonwealth Secretary General, Baroness Scotland (centre) new SG and Malta Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat

 

By Henry D Gombya

 

The first black woman to be appointed QC (Queens Counsel) and first woman to become England’s and Northern Ireland’s Attorney General has done it again. Patricia Scotland, who in 1991 became the first black woman to have the initials ‘QC’ after her name,  is set to become the new Secretary General of the Commonwealth, succeeding Indian diplomat Kamalesh Sharma who has held the post for the last seven years and is due to step down next year when his second term of office ends.

When appointed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 2007 to the post of Attorney General of England and Northern Ireland (NI) before devolution was established in NI, Baroness Scotland of Asthal in Oxfordshire, became the first woman to hold the position since that office was established in 1315. A dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Dominica, she is Dominican by birth, Antiguan by descent, and calls herself a “child of Africa and a child of the Commonwealth”. She said she will use every fibre in her body to fight for equality for Commonwealth citizens and says she wants to see change, but it has to be “change in partnership”.

To get the post, the learned lady had to beat Sir Ronald Sanders, who was thought to have been the frontrunner for the position and Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba of Botswana, the former deputy Commonwealth Secretary General for political affairs. Welcoming her appointment, the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) said her appointment comes at a time of many challenges across the 53 nation states, including climate change, countering violent extremism, and poverty. While promising to work in partnership with here ‘wherever possible’, the RCS hoped that during her term of office, she would build on, spell out and explain the true value of the modern Commonwealth; urge member states to lead the way in human rights, gender equality, minority protection and democratic development; recognize and encourage the growing trade and business links between Commonwealth states and welcome new members who are in line with Commonwealth values. Claire Whitaker OBE, Chair of the RCS, also congratulated Baroness Scotland: “Unfortunately we continue to live in an uncertain, and at times dangerous, world and the Commonwealth faces myriad challenges and tests. I wish Baroness Scotland strength and wisdom in tackling these challenges head on, and assure her that the Society, as ever, is here to assist in any way that we can,” she said.

The three day summit was opened Friday by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in what many believe is likely to be her last long haul trip to open a CHOGM summit after being advised by her doctors to cut down on long trips due to her age. She is soon approaching 90 and has led the organisation for the last 64 years. Her eldest son and heir to the English throne, the Prince Charles, will in future represent her if CHOGM is held far from the British shores. The next one in 2017 is expected to be held in the Republic of Vanuatu, a group of islands located in the middle of the South Pacific Sea.

Referring to her time living on the island in the early days of her marriage, Her Majesty said: “Prince Philip and I first came to live here in 1949, the same year in which the Commonwealth was founded. The 66 years since then have seen a vast expansion of human freedom, the forging of independent nations and new Commonwealth members, many millions of people sprung from the trap of poverty, and the unleashing of the talents of a global population.” The Queen was delighted she was to receive a dedication of rainforests and other environmental projects for her services as Head of the commonwealth for more than 60 years now. Before leaving for the summit, outgoing Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma told journalists in London that he was looking forward to ‘a productive and purposeful set of meetings’, with substantive outcomes. The last summit held in Sri Lanka was seen by some as having been ‘faint’ and lacking spirit. Dismissing claims by some that the Commonwealth was no longer relevant, Mr Sharma, a career diplomat, said the organisation was approaching Malta 2015 from a position of strength. He added that a long process of reform and renewal in the Secretariat was now bearing fruit, staff strictures had been overhauled, result-based management introduced and the Secretariat’s new strategic plan was now both realistic and focused.

Speaking at the same occasion, Stuart More, Chairman of The Round Table this year’s CHOGM summit had come ‘at a challenging time’ for the Commonwealth. Describing CHOGM as ‘the heartbeat of the Commonwealth’, Mr Mole reminisced that Colombo 2013 where the last CHOGM was held gave the impression that the Commonwealth’s heartbeat was faint, its spirit and character lacking and its commitment to its values questioned. Suggesting that the organisation was ‘at something of a crossroads’, Mr Mole said either the Commonwealth would rediscover its vitality and reaffirm its relevance in a changing world or it would continue to decline.

But the Secretary General was adamant that necessary changes to the organisation’s structure had now been put into place and that the Commonwealth was now regarded as ‘a gold standard organisation’ with many countries queueing to join it. He added that other organisations such as the Caribbean community and the South African Development Community saw it as a credible and valued partner to work with.

EM

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