450:
666:
762:
410:
617:
697:
46:
576:
515:
397:
685:
528:
563:
484:
470:
630:
220:
discretion, provided the
Secretariat can afford it, whilst more senior staff may be appointed only from a shortlist of nominations from the heads of government. In practice, the Secretary-General has more power than this; member governments consult the secretary-general on nominations, and the secretary-general has also at times submitted nominations of his own.
192:. However, as the building cannot house all of the Secretariat's staff in London, additional space is rented elsewhere in London. From this operational base, a large part of the Secretary-General's work involves travelling around the Commonwealth keeping in personal contact with those at the heart of the governments of member states.
264:
The election is held in a
Restricted Session of the CHOGM, in which only heads of government or ministerial representatives thereof may be present. The chair of the CHOGM (the head of government of the host nation) is responsible for ascertaining which candidate has the greatest support, through the
219:
in London. Currently, the three deputy secretaries-general are Deodat
Maharaj, Gary Dunn and Josephine Ojiambo. Until 2014, only two deputy secretaries-general were appointed along with an assistant secretary-general for corporate affairs. The secretary-general may appoint junior staff at their own
260:
of two four-year terms. The election is held by the assembled heads of government and other ministerial representatives at every other CHOGM. Nominations are received from the member states' governments, who sponsor the nomination through the election process and are responsible for withdrawing
223:
Formally, the secretary-general is given the same rank as a high commissioner or ambassador. However, in practice, their rank is considerably higher. At CHOGMs, they are the equal of the heads of government, except with preference deferred to the longest-serving head of government. At other
291:
in 2003. At the vote, however, Kadirgamar was easily defeated by McKinnon, with only 11 members voting for him against 40 for McKinnon. In March 2019, the 53 high commissioners, meeting in London, confirmed the unwritten rule allowing secretaries-general to be challenged for a second term.
877:
652:
1165:
1072:
647:
1591:
1438:
172:
Both the
Secretary-General and his/her staff should be seen to be the servants of Commonwealth countries collectively. They derive their functions from the authority of
803:
1565:
162:
1560:
1547:
1194:
1555:
319:
304:
296:
149:
since its establishment in 1965, and responsible for representing the
Commonwealth publicly. The Commonwealth secretary-general should not be confused with the
1425:
1385:
1158:
1065:
740:
231:
241:
The
Secretary-General was originally required to submit annual reports to the Heads of Government, but this has since been changed to reporting at biennial
1443:
1433:
1532:
207:
The secretary-general leads the
Commonwealth Secretariat, and all Secretariat staff are responsible and answerable to them. They are supported by three
1586:
603:
1002:
1453:
1301:
1268:
1260:
242:
89:
1199:
1151:
1058:
165:
1484:
1474:
1330:
1321:
731:
716:
1400:
1340:
1283:
1240:
1133:
549:
545:
339:
208:
1350:
1028:
593:
501:
941:
1489:
1370:
275:
Secretaries-general seeking a second term in office are often elected unopposed. Although this practice was occasionally deemed to be a
176:; and in the discharge of his/her responsibilities in this connection the Secretary-General should have access to Heads of Government...
1326:
437:
1395:
910:
1458:
1375:
1365:
216:
212:
173:
850:
744:
735:
598:
811:
1499:
1504:
1335:
1306:
1596:
1345:
1273:
1250:
349:
to become the 6th
Commonwealth secretary-general and the first woman to hold the post. She took office on 1 April 2016.
428:
1405:
1514:
1355:
335:
234:
refused to invite the secretary-general to the Queen's annual diplomatic reception at
Buckingham Palace, much to
1380:
1360:
1225:
1215:
807:
383:
326:, a former British cabinet minister, was nominated for Commonwealth secretary-general by her native country of
189:
150:
142:
195:
The secretary-general receives a salary of nearly £160,000 (2015) and a four‑storey mansion, Garden House, in
1311:
1174:
1085:
975:
342:
146:
64:
449:
1537:
1410:
1390:
1527:
245:(CHOGM). The Secretary-General is held responsible by the Commonwealth's Board of Governors in London.
248:
Between 2016 and 2019, the staff of the
Commonwealth secretariat declined in number, from 295 to 223.
1522:
1509:
1050:
878:"Baroness Patricia Scotland becomes first UK citizen to be elected secretary‑general of Commonwealth"
17:
665:
1293:
331:
284:
184:, a former royal residence in London, which was placed at the disposal of the Secretariat by Queen
124:
1479:
1448:
1316:
226:
76:
951:
761:
616:
1245:
1234:
1121:
906:
722:
671:
323:
276:
181:
53:
1494:
1101:
984:
859:
848:
Doxey, Margaret (January 1979). "The Commonwealth Secretary-General: Limits of Leadership".
476:
1116:
622:
300:
1189:
749:
702:
312:
96:
45:
1580:
1415:
1106:
520:
266:
256:
Since the 1993 CHOGM, it has been decided that the secretary-general is elected to a
168:
in London in 1965, issued a memorandum describing the role of the Secretary-General:
1111:
1096:
568:
454:
441:
402:
288:
235:
185:
113:
514:
396:
1143:
303:
was re-elected to his second term unopposed. Sharma had won the position at the
180:
The headquarters of the secretary-general, as with the Secretariat generally, is
1277:
1219:
988:
766:
726:
581:
562:
238:'s irritation, until in 1968 this refusal was over-ridden by the Queen herself.
469:
269:
257:
69:
946:
905:
by Gerald Hensley, page 99 (2006, Auckland University Press, New Zealand)
690:
346:
327:
280:
927:
533:
196:
489:
415:
863:
161:
The position was created, along with the Secretariat itself, after
635:
431:
308:
1147:
1054:
798:
796:
794:
792:
790:
788:
1029:"Lady Scotland vies to be next Commonwealth secretary general"
717:
Attorney General for England and Wales and Northern Ireland
315:
to replace McKinnon, who had served the maximum two terms.
648:
Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations
230:. For the first three years of the job's existence the
942:"PM, Blair for representative government in Iraq soon"
1546:
1467:
1424:
1292:
1259:
1208:
1182:
1003:"Commonwealth elects first woman secretary general"
928:
Commonwealth Secretariat in 'urgent need' of reform
119:
109:
95:
85:
75:
63:
34:
170:
653:Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
340:deputy secretary-general for political affairs
1159:
1066:
8:
1592:Institutions of the Commonwealth of Nations
1166:
1152:
1144:
1073:
1059:
1051:
224:ministerial meetings, they are considered
973:"Editorial: CHOGM 2003, Abuja, Nigeria".
922:
920:
918:
243:Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings
1302:Association of Commonwealth Universities
1269:Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
356:
145:, the central body which has served the
843:
841:
839:
837:
835:
833:
831:
829:
784:
166:Commonwealth Prime Ministers Conference
1322:Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
31:
18:Secretary General of the Commonwealth
7:
594:Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
129:/secretary-general-patricia-scotland
27:Head of the Commonwealth Secretariat
1327:Commonwealth War Graves Commission
25:
261:their candidate as they see fit.
1587:Commonwealth secretaries-general
940:Baruah, Amit (7 December 2003).
760:
695:
683:
664:
628:
615:
574:
561:
526:
513:
482:
468:
448:
408:
395:
213:Commonwealth heads of government
174:Commonwealth Heads of Government
90:Commonwealth Heads of Government
44:
804:"Role of the Secretary-General"
745:Foreign and Commonwealth Office
54:The Baroness Scotland of Asthal
360:
139:Commonwealth secretary-general
1:
1505:Commonwealth Youth Parliament
1317:Commonwealth Games Federation
1307:Commonwealth Business Council
1566:Visits by Queen Elizabeth II
1251:Commonwealth Youth Programme
736:Lord Chancellor's Department
265:conduct of negotiations and
1500:Commonwealth Writers' Prize
989:10.1080/0035853042000188139
741:UK Under-Secretary of State
676:Baroness Scotland of Asthal
604:Minister of Foreign Affairs
353:List of secretaries-general
283:-backed bid for Sri Lankan
211:, which are elected by the
1613:
1241:Deputy Secretaries-General
983:(373): 3–6. January 2004.
930:, BBX News (12 June 2019).
903:Final Approaches: A Memoir
732:UK Parliamentary Secretary
502:Foreign Minister of Guyana
364:
287:to displace New Zealand's
209:deputy secretaries-general
199:as an official residence.
1130:
1092:
759:
714:
709:
706:
681:
670:
663:
660:
447:
379:
41:
35:Secretary-General of the
1523:Commonwealth citizenship
1284:Ministerial Action Group
1216:Head of the Commonwealth
1134:Deputy Secretary-General
808:Commonwealth Secretariat
546:Deputy Secretary-General
359:
203:Staff and responsibility
190:head of the Commonwealth
151:head of the Commonwealth
143:Commonwealth Secretariat
1312:Commonwealth Foundation
1175:Commonwealth of Nations
1086:Commonwealth of Nations
950:. India. Archived from
343:Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba
147:Commonwealth of Nations
58:since 1 April 2016
37:Commonwealth of Nations
178:
1528:Commonwealth diaspora
1454:Commonwealth republic
1132:Previously served as
851:International Affairs
279:, it was broken by a
1510:Round Table movement
1597:General secretaries
1434:Membership criteria
1294:Commonwealth Family
1261:Heads of government
1082:Secretaries-General
954:on 30 December 2003
307:, when he defeated
285:Lakshman Kadirgamar
141:is the head of the
1538:King's Baton Relay
1480:Commonwealth Games
1449:Commonwealth realm
1439:Special membership
1035:. 24 November 2015
1009:. 27 November 2015
884:. 27 November 2015
814:on 29 October 2007
227:primus inter pares
217:high commissioners
1574:
1573:
1490:Commonwealth Flag
1459:High Commissioner
1246:Marlborough House
1235:Patricia Scotland
1231:Secretary-General
1141:
1140:
776:
775:
753:
750:UK House of Lords
723:Minister of State
672:Patricia Scotland
656:
607:
599:Minister of Trade
553:
550:Political Affairs
505:
445:
324:Patricia Scotland
215:via the members'
182:Marlborough House
135:
134:
105:
16:(Redirected from
1604:
1495:Commonwealth Day
1475:English language
1168:
1161:
1154:
1145:
1075:
1068:
1061:
1052:
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1042:
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1025:
1019:
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1016:
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913:
900:
894:
893:
891:
889:
874:
868:
867:
845:
824:
823:
821:
819:
810:. Archived from
800:
772:
764:
715:
701:
699:
698:
689:
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686:
678:
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646:
634:
632:
631:
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477:Shridath Ramphal
472:
460:
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362:
357:
131:
128:
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110:Inaugural holder
103:
48:
32:
21:
1612:
1611:
1607:
1606:
1605:
1603:
1602:
1601:
1577:
1576:
1575:
1570:
1561:Prime ministers
1542:
1516:The Round Table
1463:
1420:
1329:
1288:
1274:Chair-in-Office
1255:
1204:
1178:
1172:
1142:
1137:
1126:
1088:
1079:
1049:
1048:
1038:
1036:
1027:
1026:
1022:
1012:
1010:
1001:
1000:
996:
976:The Round Table
972:
971:
967:
957:
955:
939:
938:
934:
926:James Landale,
925:
916:
901:
897:
887:
885:
882:The Independent
876:
875:
871:
864:10.2307/2617133
847:
846:
827:
817:
815:
802:
801:
786:
781:
770:
769:
765:
748:
739:
730:
720:
696:
694:
693:
684:
682:
674:
673:
651:
629:
627:
623:Kamalesh Sharma
602:
597:
575:
573:
527:
525:
483:
481:
458:
457:
453:
435:
409:
407:
386:
355:
301:Kamalesh Sharma
254:
205:
159:
125:thecommonwealth
123:
102:
59:
57:
56:
52:
49:
36:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1610:
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1599:
1594:
1589:
1579:
1578:
1572:
1571:
1569:
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1563:
1558:
1556:Extreme points
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1190:British Empire
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1020:
1007:Times of Malta
994:
965:
932:
914:
895:
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780:
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771:(2022–present)
757:
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752:(1997–present)
713:
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703:United Kingdom
680:
669:
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643:31 March 2016
641:
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589:31 March 2008
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541:31 March 2000
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336:Ronald Sanders
313:Michael Frendo
253:
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232:Foreign Office
204:
201:
188:, who was the
163:the fourteenth
158:
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133:
132:
121:
117:
116:
111:
107:
106:
104:renewable once
99:
93:
92:
87:
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82:
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73:
72:
70:Her Excellency
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61:
60:
50:
43:
42:
39:
38:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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1211:
1207:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1195:Key documents
1193:
1191:
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919:
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911:1-86940-378-9
908:
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707:1 April 2016
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640:1 April 2008
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521:Emeka Anyaoku
519:
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503:
499:
497:30 June 1990
496:
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467:
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451:
443:
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438:ambassador to
433:
430:
429:ambassador to
425:
423:30 June 1975
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401:
398:
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391:
390:
385:
382:
376:
373:
370:
367:
358:
352:
350:
348:
344:
341:
337:
334:diplomat Sir
333:
330:and defeated
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74:
71:
68:
66:
62:
55:
47:
40:
33:
30:
19:
1515:
1230:
1081:
1037:. Retrieved
1033:The Guardian
1032:
1023:
1011:. Retrieved
1006:
997:
980:
974:
968:
956:. Retrieved
952:the original
945:
935:
902:
898:
886:. Retrieved
881:
872:
858:(1): 67–83.
855:
849:
816:. Retrieved
812:the original
738:; 2001–2003)
729:; 2003–2007)
710:
675:
569:Don McKinnon
538:1 July 1990
494:1 July 1975
455:Elizabeth II
420:1 July 1965
403:Arnold Smith
317:
294:
289:Don McKinnon
274:
263:
255:
247:
240:
236:Arnold Smith
225:
222:
206:
194:
186:Elizabeth II
179:
171:
160:
138:
136:
114:Arnold Smith
81:Garden House
29:
1533:LGBT rights
1278:Paul Kagame
1226:Secretariat
1220:Charles III
1039:24 November
1013:27 November
888:27 November
767:Charles III
747:(1999–2001)
727:Home Office
719:(2007–2010)
655:(2004–2008)
650:(1997–2002)
606:(1990–1999)
601:(1990–1996)
596:(1990–1996)
582:New Zealand
552:(1977–1990)
504:(1972–1975)
459:(1952–2022)
444:(1961–1963)
434:(1958–1961)
380:Background
374:Term start
338:and former
270:straw polls
97:Term length
1581:Categories
1444:Suspension
1209:Governance
779:References
320:2015 CHOGM
305:2007 CHOGM
299:, India's
297:2011 CHOGM
277:convention
101:Four years
947:The Hindu
711:Incumbent
436:Canadian
427:Canadian
387:(Tenure)
377:Term end
365:Portrait
86:Appointer
77:Residence
51:Incumbent
1200:Timeline
1122:Scotland
1112:McKinnon
691:Dominica
371:Country
347:Botswana
332:Antiguan
328:Dominica
281:Zimbabwe
252:Election
1518:Journal
1485:Symbols
1468:Culture
1426:Members
1183:History
1107:Anyaoku
1102:Ramphal
1084:of the
958:27 July
818:5 April
743:at the
534:Nigeria
318:At the
295:At the
258:maximum
197:Mayfair
120:Website
1177:topics
1117:Sharma
909:
700:
688:
633:
579:
531:
490:Guyana
487:
416:Canada
413:
267:secret
1548:Lists
1097:Smith
636:India
432:Egypt
368:Name
309:Malta
65:Style
1411:ROSL
1401:RCEL
1386:CSFP
1376:CPSU
1371:CLGF
1356:CJIA
1351:CHRI
1331:BECM
1041:2015
1015:2015
960:2007
907:ISBN
890:2015
820:2008
548:for
475:Sir
442:USSR
440:the
384:Head
157:Role
137:The
127:.org
1416:SSI
1406:RCS
1396:ICS
1391:ESU
1381:CPU
1366:CLA
1361:CoL
1346:CET
1341:CBA
1336:CAP
985:doi
860:doi
721:UK
361:No.
345:of
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