Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana arrived in The Gambia on Friday, July 12, for a one-day working visit. The Ghanaian leader was warmly welcomed at Banjul International Airport by his Gambian counterpart, President Adama Barrow. The two heads of state proceeded to the State House in the presidential palace for closed-door discussions.

Sources indicate that President Akufo-Addo’s visit was not merely ceremonial. High on the agenda was Ghana’s request for The Gambia’s support for Ghana’s candidate, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, in the race for the position of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. The Gambia, Ghana, and Lesotho each have candidates vying for this prestigious role, with an African candidate poised to potentially become the second African Secretary-General after Rt. Patricia Scotland KC.

The Gambia’s own candidate, Hon. Dr. Mamadou Tangara, announced his bid for the position in September 2023, while Ghana’s Botchwey declared her candidacy in March 2024. The competition within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is heating up, with additional potential candidates from Nigeria and Sierra Leone, risking a dilution of regional voting power. This internal division stands in stark contrast to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which has united behind Joshua Setipa of Lesotho.

President Akufo-Addo’s appeal to President Barrow suggests a strategic move to consolidate support within ECOWAS by potentially asking The Gambia to withdraw Tangara’s candidacy in favor of Botchwey. This move could strengthen Ghana’s chances, but it remains unclear what concessions or benefits The Gambia might receive in return for such support.

Following his meeting with President Barrow, President Akufo-Addo visited the Ghanaian ECOMIG detachment in Barra, west of the country. Ghanaian troops have been stationed in The Gambia since 2017 under the ECOWAS mission, a deployment that followed the ousting of former President Yahya Jammeh, who had refused to concede defeat to Adama Barrow.

The forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia will be the decisive stage for the election of the next Secretary-General. The election results will likely hinge on the regional unity and strategic alliances formed in the lead-up to this crucial event.