By Neo Kolane
Lesotho has endorsed Joshua Phoho Setipa as the first Southern African to run for the position of secretary-general of the Commonwealth.
Setipa is currently the senior director for strategy, portfolio, partnerships and digital division at the Commonwealth Secretariat, and secretary to the governing board of the Club.
The principal information officer of the ministry of foreign affairs and international relations, Kutloano Pheku, confirmed that Lesotho has endorsed Setipa’s candidature for the top post.
He told theReporter yesterday that through a department in the ministry, there was an initiative to help candidates from Lesotho to get jobs at the Commonwealth.
According to a recent statement, the ministry of foreign affairs and international relations has kicked off the country’s campaign to lobby other Commonwealth member states’ support for Setipa’s candidature through the Lesotho High Commission in London, where the Commonwealth Secretariat is also based.
In a diplomatic note to Commonwealth member states, the ministry said Lesotho has taken a decision to back Setipa for the post of secretary general of the Commonwealth.
The ministry also noted that a decision would be taken at the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Apia, Samoa, in October 2024.
Setipa was the first managing director of the UN Technology Bank.
He has also held positions including assistant director general of the World Trade Organisation, former minister of trade, and former CEO of the Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC).
Lesotho says Setipa’s service of over 25 years in senior roles of diverse complexity and responsibility in international trade, public policy, and strategic management at the national, regional, and multilateral levels, qualifies him as an outstanding candidate for the position.
The incoming secretary-general will succeed Patricia Scotland KC, who has held the position since 2016.
The secretary-general is nominated by Commonwealth leaders and can serve a maximum of two terms of four years each.
Is Setipa lands the top post, he will become the second Commonwealth secretary-general from Africa, following Chief Emeka Anyaoku of Nigeria who held the position from 1990 to 2000.
The secretary-general is responsible for promoting and protecting the Commonwealth’s values, publicly representing the Commonwealth, and managing the Commonwealth Secretariat. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal member states.
“Although the Commonwealth’s roots go back to the British Empire, today any country can join the Commonwealth family of nations, which share goals of development, democracy, and peace amongst other values and principles as expressed in the Commonwealth Charter,” the statement read.
