News
| Apr 2, 2022

Jamaica announces Kamina Johnson Smith’s candidacy for Commonwealth Secretary-General

/ Our Today

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As the official representative of the Jamaican delegation, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamina Johnson Smith speaks at the flag-raising ceremony of Jamaica Day at Expo 2020 in Dubai on February 18, 2022. (Photo: Twitter @kaminajsmith)

The Jamaican Government is announcing the candidature of Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, for the post of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

A decision on the appointment of a Secretary-General is to be made during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, to take place from June 20-25 in Kigali, Rwanda.

According to a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Friday (April 1), Johnson Smith, currently serving as Jamaica’s first female foreign affairs minister, is eminently qualified for the post.

Johnson Smith, who was first appointed minister in 2016, will challenge incumbent Commonwealth Secretary-General Baroness Patricia Scotland.

“She has held several crucial leadership posts both regionally and internationally, having served as president of the OACPS Council of Ministers, chair of CARIFORUM and the CARICOM Council on Trade and Economic Development,” read the OPM statement.

“She has represented Jamaica at numerous bilateral, regional, hemispheric and international encounters, and was the first Jamaican Foreign Minister to be invited to G7 and G20 ministerial meetings,” the document continued.

Jamaica is currently the African, Caribbean and Pacific Coordinator within the World Trade Organisation (WTO), a role headed by Minister Johnson Smith.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has extended a ringing endorsement of Johnson Smith.

“The Government of Jamaica has every confidence in Minister Johnson Smith’s abilities to build bridges and consensus, bringing governments and peoples to a common understanding. Her qualifications for the post of Secretary-General, including her high moral character, diplomatic and political acumen, proven competence, and commitment to the work of the Commonwealth make her an excellent candidate,” Holness is quoted as saying in the OPM release.

While stressing the importance of critical funding to mitigate the impact of climate change, Prime Minister Andrew Holness (left) failed to include Jamaica in a list of 100 country leader commitments to end deforestation by 2030. The prime minister is joined at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith and Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr Nigel Clarke. (Photo: Twitter @KaminaJSmith)

“She will bring a wealth of experience to the position, and is committed to international public service, with special regard for sustainable development, gender and the interests of small states, which will contribute significantly to the work of the organisation towards 2.5 billion citizens of the Commonwealth,” the prime minister added.

Minister Johnson Smith is an attorney-at-law who worked previously in private practice and as corporate in-house counsel and holds a Bachelor of Arts in French, a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Laws in Commercial Law. Minister Johnson Smith speaks French as a foreign language.

Senator Johnson Smith is currently serving in her second term as Leader of Government Business in the Senate.

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