The time is now for a Muslim Secretary-General of the Commonwealth

England (Brussels Morning) As the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, concludes her historic visit to Pakistan, we are reminded of the profound challenges and opportunities that face our global community.

Her visit, marked by solidarity with Pakistan on the second anniversary of the devastating 2022 floods that killed 1,700 and submerged one-third of the country, underscores the critical issues of climate change and resilience, which disproportionately impact countries many Global South nations within the Commonwealth.

According to the International Rescue Committee and the World Resources Institute, seven of the ten most climate-vulnerable nations are Muslim-majority countries, including the Commonwealth member Nigeria. Additionally, the Global Climate Risk Index for 2021 highlighted Pakistan and Bangladesh among the ten most affected countries.

These statistics are not isolated; they reflect a broader pattern of climate vulnerability that disproportionately impacts the poorest and most vulnerable populations.

The intersection of climate change and socio-economic disparities underscores deep-seated inequalities, revealing how climate vulnerability is exacerbated by systemic racial and social discrimination.

This convergence of environmental and social challenges also reflects a troubling trend: Muslims worldwide, especially those in non-Muslim countries, are confronting an unprecedented surge in Islamophobia.

The recently concluded 15th Islamic Summit Conference in my home country, The Gambia, illuminated the pressing issues facing the Muslim world. Chaired by our Foreign Minister, Mamadou Tangara, the Summit emphasized recognition of the critical importance of the rise in racism and Islamophobia as the war in Gaza rages on.

The Commonwealth’s Muslims find themselves at a juncture today where vulnerability and challenges must be met with homegrown leadership and centering their voices in global discourse.

In this context, we are invited to consider the leadership of the Commonwealth. As an association of 56 countries, it has undergone a profound transformation from its origins as a remnant of the British Empire.

The initial focus was on maintaining diplomatic and cultural connections among member states with historical ties to Britain. Over time, the organization has evolved to emphasize equality and mutual respect, embracing a more inclusive and representative role on the global stage.

It now operates as a platform for collaborative efforts on issues such as climate change, sustainable development, and social justice. The Commonwealth engages in diplomatic initiatives, provides support for economic development, and promotes human rights across its member states. Therefore, it is imperative that it embodies the principles of diversity and inclusion it espouses.

This means turning its attention to its over 400 million Muslims, who represent a third of the world’s Muslim population. Despite their substantial presence and contributions, they have not yet been represented in the Commonwealth’s highest office.

It is time for this to change.

The next Secretary-General of the Commonwealth should be a Muslim, reflecting the diversity of our nations, as we navigate unprecedented global challenges. This choice is not just symbolic but a strategic necessity in today’s complex world.

In recent years, the role of the Commonwealth Secretary-General has been tested, as it now navigates a landscape dominated by multifaceted global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and geopolitical tensions. The Secretary-General must address these issues with a nuanced understanding that is often shaped by cultural and regional perspectives.

The Banjul Declaration at the OIC Summit is not just grounded in Islamic values; they are universal principles that align with the Commonwealth’s mission. A Muslim Secretary-General would be uniquely positioned to bridge gaps, foster understanding, and advocate for policies that protect vulnerable populations.

Indeed, the Commonwealth’s history tells us how diverse leadership can lead to meaningful change. The appointment of the first African Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, in 1990, marked a significant step towards greater inclusivity.

In his time as Secretary-General, Chief Emeka navigated through similar challenges. His leadership was instrumental in advocating for the end of apartheid in South Africa, mobilizing international support and leveraging the Commonwealth’s influence to apply pressure on the South African regime.

Anyaoku’s efforts culminated in South Africa’s transition to a democratic government and its re-entry into the Commonwealth in 1994. Exemplifying the importance and efficacy of having a leader who understands and represents the interests of a diverse membership.

Centering those we serve is crucial for effective and equitable leadership. By prioritizing those most affected—particularly marginalized and vulnerable communities—we ensure that policies and actions are responsive to real-world challenges. This approach fosters greater trust and cooperation, enhances the relevance of initiatives, and ultimately drives more meaningful outcomes.

As we face global challenges such as climate change, conflict, and discrimination, the leadership of a Muslim Secretary-General would not only reflect the demographic realities of our member nations but also signal a commitment to inclusivity and justice. It affirms that the Commonwealth stands with all its members, especially those who are most vulnerable and underrepresented.

Africa is blessed with enormous natural capital. The continent holds 8% and 12% of the world’s natural gas and oil as well as 40% of the world’s gold; it is estimated to have 30% of the world’s critical minerals and has potential to produce green hydrogen with 60% of the world’s best solar resources.

Still, the continent is the world’s most impoverished region and poor headcount continues to rise. In 2014, just 14% of the world’s poor lived in Africa; in 2019, the number rose to 57% in 2019. Population growth, wars and conflicts, climate change, diseases, inadequate agriculture infrastructure and unjust trade structure with America and Europe heavily subsidizing their agriculture sectors have caused poverty crises across the continent to aggravate.

Other factors such as gold smuggling worth $30 billion every year, global economic conditions, geopolitical rivalries and debt service payments have contributed to poverty too, leaving African governments with limited financial resources to channel funds to fight poverty and climate change.

Slower economic growth, after it averaged 5% between 1999 and 2014 and brought poverty down from 57% to 38%, is also a major reason behind rising poverty. According to Africa’s Pulse most recent report, economic growth in the region is likely to bounce back and reach 3.4% in 2024 and 3.6% in 2025; this expansion it warns will be “insufficient to have a significant effect on poverty reduction.”

With $6.5 trillion of natural resources and 65% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, resource-rich countries have no excuse to remain poor, said African Development Bank Group President Dr Akinwumi Adesina last year, noting the Bank and its partners had provided $4.6 billion to develop dozens of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones in 26 countries.

As demand for some of key substances such as lithium, between 2017 and 2022 tripled while that of cobalt and nickel jumped 70% and 40%, critical raw materials such as cobalt, copper, magnesium and lithium – critical to global energy transition and are found in abundance in the continent – urges regional countries develop a joint plan to capitalize on the opportunity to promote green industrialization in Africa.

“Imagine the potential if African minerals are processed into African batteries, installed into African cars that are driven across the continent and the world,”

said UN Economic Commission for Africa’s deputy executive secretary, Antonio Pedro at a recent event in Addis Ababa, stressing this would accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and electrification of transport systems, generate jobs and transform Africa into a competitive hub for green industrialization.

The European Union (EU) lacks most of these resources and needs them to sustain their strong industrial base. Critical raw materials indeed were also one of six themes of the EU Global Gateway Forum 2023 for their crucial role in achieving the Union’s climate ambitions. Given the bloc has financial strength and technical expertise in developing key industries, it could be a valuable African partner for the continental industrialization.

In the G-20 Compact with Africa conference in Berlin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced to invest €4 billion in Africa’s green energy through 2030 on top of the EU €3.4 billion. But the package omitted industrialization, an area where the continent’s interests really lie over its potential to create jobs and accelerate inclusive and sustained growth, diversify the economy and reduce poverty.

Africa also seeks to leverage green hydrogen for its industrialization and decarbonization. It is ideally positioned to produce three-fifths of the world’s green hydrogen but accounts for just 1% of the global solar generation capacity. Africa’s geographic proximity to Europe and unique position to flip the script on fossil fuel could pave the way for a robust Africa-EU partnership.

Since continent has a potential to produce $1.06 trillion of green hydrogen yet needs massive upfront investments, the EU investments can help foster green industrialization in Africa where foreign direct investment (FDI), after nearly halving in 2022 against a record $80 billion in 2021, was almost flat at $48 billion in 2023.

Under the Global Gateway, Brussels has announced a €150 billion of investment package for Africa including scaling up African hydrogen production and exporting it to Europe. The initiative aims to accelerate Africa’s green and digital transition, sustainable growth including regional economic integration and industrialization and decent job creation; more focus should be given to industrialization for it will increase productivity, raise living standards and lift people out of poverty in Africa.

Africa is slated to play a pivotal role in the achievement of the EU goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050. While Brussels should address Africa’s concerns such as its “protectionist” carbon border tax on goods such as steel and cement – which could hamper the continental GDP, developing countries’ exports to Europe and efforts to raise investments – the bloc must actively support Africa’s industrialization to make this partnership a win-win cooperation.

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