International relations experts have tipped Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, as the likely successor to the outgoing Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland Baroness Scotland of the United Kingdom.
They attribute this to her experience, vision and dedication to service in the international community over time.
The election will take place at the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, the capital city of the Pacific Island nation of Samoa, from October 21 - 26.
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who is a lawyer, a diplomat and a politician, is in the race with two other African candidates, namely Senator Joshua Setipa of Lesotho and Dr Mamadou Tangara of the Gambia.