The future of the Commonwealth

About the event

At the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October, the seventh Commonwealth Secretary-General will be elected. Ahead of this momentous vote, the three declared candidates for Secretary-general will convene at Chatham House in London to present and debate their vision for the future of the Commonwealth. The event will be livestreamed with opportunities for virtual participation and will be moderated by broadcast journalist, Zeinab Badawi.

We are co-hosting the debate in partnership with Chatham House and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

Africa makes up more than a third of the Commonwealth’s 56 member states and the three declared candidates are from that region; Mamadou Tangara of the Gambia, Shirley Botchwey from Ghana and Joshua Setipa of Lesotho. The new Commonwealth Secretary General will succeed Rt Hon. Patricia Scotland KC, who has held the post since 2016.

The next Commonwealth Secretary General will be pivotal in shaping the Organisation’s future relevance. They must ensure its central institutions remain at the forefront of international cooperation, stay true to the Commonwealth’s values, and address issues that genuinely matter to Commonwealth citizens.

Please note that in-person attendance for this event will be balloted. Guests looking to join in-person must register interest in joining. Full confirmations to successful applicants will be sent on Monday 9 September at 13:00.

Read this CPA blog series, where the three candidates talk about their aspirations for the future of the Commonwealth, what they think is the role for Commonwealth Parliamentarians and the Commonwealth’s greatest challenges today.