(L-R) Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Ghana, the Honourable Shirley Botchwey, and Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew.

Georgetown, Guyana, February 26, 2024 (Press Secretary, PMOSKN) – Prime Minister, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, and his delegation engaged with the Honourable Shirley Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana, and the esteemed candidate for Commonwealth Secretary General, alongside other key Ghanaian officials, to deliberate on enhancing diplomatic ties between their nations.

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the Republic of Ghana have maintained diplomatic relations, formalized by a signed agreement in June 1993.

Minister Botchwey underscored the Republic of Ghana’s acknowledgment of the Caribbean as Africa’s sixth region, positioning Ghana at the forefront of the African Union’s engagement with the Caribbean. She expressed Ghana’s eagerness for reciprocal visits and the potential signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to establish a structured framework for future bilateral engagement.

(L-R) Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Ghana, the Honourable Shirley Botchwey, and Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew.

During the dialogue, Minister Botchwey also presented Prime Minister Drew with a letter from the Republic of Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, formally endorsing her candidacy for Commonwealth Secretary General, outlining her vision for the organization, which encompasses prioritizing areas such as trade and investment, climate change mitigation, financing for renewable energy initiatives, youth empowerment, and bolstering the Secretariat’s capabilities.

Minister Botchwey’s Commonwealth vision resonates with Saint Kitts and Nevis’ Sustainable Island State mandate, focusing on resilience-building, climate crisis response, and inclusivity within the Commonwealth.

Minister Botchwey further outlined key areas where a reinvigorated Commonwealth could offer substantial assistance to Saint Kitts and Nevis, including trade and Investment facilitation, Youth Development, Innovation, Climate Resilience, and effective resource management for Small Island States.

Prime Minister Drew highlighted the Commonwealth as a conduit for progress, drawing upon his personal experience benefiting from the Commonwealth Secretariat’s capacity-building initiatives throughout his tenure as a new Prime Minister.

The governments of Ghana and Saint Kitts and Nevis expressed mutual intent to fortify cooperation avenues, heralding a promising trajectory of collaboration.