Akufo-Addo Gets Top International Appointment, Set to Lead Commonwealth Observers in Bangladesh
- Nana Akufo-Addo leads a 14-member Commonwealth Observer Group for Bangladesh's parliamentary elections and referendum
- The mission highlights the importance of credible, transparent, and inclusive electoral processes in Bangladesh's democracy
- The Observer Group will assess the electoral process and submit recommendations to the Commonwealth Secretary-General
Former President Nana Akufo-Addo is set to lead a 14-member Commonwealth Observer Group for Bangladesh’s forthcoming parliamentary elections and a nationwide referendum.
The events he will be observing have been scheduled for February 12, 2026.
Source: Facebook
The Commonwealth announced this development on Facebook.
In announcing the deployment, the Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey underscored the importance of the mission at a critical moment in Bangladesh’s democratic journey.
“As we deploy our team to observe the elections and referendum being held concurrently in Bangladesh, we reaffirm the fundamental importance of credible, transparent and inclusive electoral processes in strengthening democratic governance and supporting long-term stability.”
“Our presence in Bangladesh is guided not only by the responsibility to observe, but by a commitment to uphold the aspirations of the Bangladeshi people at this crucial moment in their democratic journey, acting independently and impartially to help ensure that their collective will is freely expressed.”
Akufo-Addo will chair the Observer Group and will be joined by election experts and professionals drawn from across the Commonwealth, spanning fields such as politics, law, media, gender advocacy and election administration.
The group will be supported by a Secretariat team led by Linford Andrews, Head and Adviser at the Commonwealth’s Electoral Support Section.
The mandate of the Commonwealth Observer Group is to assess the entire electoral process and determine whether the elections and referendum are conducted in a credible, transparent and inclusive manner. Its work will be guided by the standards and principles to which Bangladesh has committed itself, including its national legal framework.
At the conclusion of the mission, the group is expected to submit a detailed report containing its findings and recommendations to the Commonwealth Secretary-General.
The members of the Commonwealth Observer Group are:
- Chairperson: HE Nana Akufo-Addo, Former President of Ghana
- Mrs. Lebrechtta Nana Oye Hesse-Bayne, President, Caribbean Women in Leadership (CiWiL), Antigua and Barbuda
- Mr Neil Philip Ford, Communications specialist, Canada
- Ms Miliana Iga Ramatanivai, Coordinator, Pacific Youth Council, Fiji
- Datuk (Dr) Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi, Former Senator, Malaysia
- H.E Jeffrey Salim Waheed, Former Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives
- Mr Mohammad Irfan Abdool Rahman, Electoral Commissioner, Mauritius
- Prof. David John Francis, Former Foreign Minister, Sierra Leone
- Ms Sangeetha Yogendran, Human Rights Lawyer, Singapore
- Prof. Mandla Mchunu, Former Chief Electoral Officer, Electoral Commission, South Africa
- Dr Dinesha Samararatne, Professor, Department of Public & International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Prof. Winifred Mary Tarinyeba Kiryabwire, Associate Professor of Law, Uganda
- Ms Rosemary Ajayi, Social Media Expert, United Kingdom
- Mr Kryticous Patrick Nshindano, Former Chief Electoral Officer, Zambia
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey begins historic tenure
Botchwey was elected the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth in October 2024.
She notably met King Charles following the start of her Commonwealth Secretary-General role.
Her election took place at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Apia, Samoa. She replaced Patricia Scotland.
She is eligible to serve a maximum of two four-year terms. As Secretary General of the Commonwealth, she will preside over 56 independent and equal sovereign states with a combined population of 2.7 billion.
Source: Instagram
Her core mandate as head of the Commonwealth Secretariat is to provide the necessary support for member countries to build democratic and inclusive governments.
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey called to the Ghana Bar
YEN.com.gh reported that Botchwey was called to the Ghana Bar in 2023.
Botchwey was among the 1,092 newly qualified lawyers called to the Bar on October 20, 2023.
Source: YEN.com.gh
