"The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has nominated Sir Ronald Sanders as the next Secretary-General of the Commonwealth and is pleased to commend him to the association of Commonwealth Nations. He is a diplomat and a scholar, a man of vision and of practicality, a man of ideals and of ideas – and a man of proven commitment to the Commonwealth."
Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
Sir Ronald Sanders has a unique breadth of senior experience of the Commonwealth. He has a strong vision of it being more relevant and effective for its member states and an influence for progress in the global community.
Relevant Background
Sir Ronald's Service in the Inter-governmental Commonwealth
Sir Ron has extensive and intimate knowledge and experience of the operations of the
Commonwealth and the Secretariat, having:
- Served for two periods on the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Secretariat in 1984-1987 and 1996-2004, and on the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Foundation.
- Participated in meetings of Commonwealth Heads of Government and Commonwealth Foreign Ministers since 1983 and led delegations to Meetings of Senior Officials and in various negotiating and drafting groups.
- Worked as an active member of the Commonwealth Committee on Southern Africa to end racism and apartheid, and was one of three High Commissioners elected by his peers to liaise with the UN Committee against Apartheid.
- Served as a special adviser to the Commonwealth Secretariat and the World Bank on small states.
- Worked as a member and the Rapporteur of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group (EPG) commissioned by Heads of Government to report on reform of the Commonwealth (2010-2011). He drafted the report of the Group which formed the basis for the restructuring of the Commonwealth and its current strategic plan.
Given his wealth of experience and knowledge, he is distinctively well suited to take on the role as an effective Secretary-General in a time of change
Scholar and Writer
Sir Ron has a solid background as a scholar, writer and advocate for the Commonwealth.
He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and also a Senior Fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto.
He is acknowledged as one of the leading Commonwealth authorities on small states, a subject on which he has written and spoken extensively. His published works on the Commonwealth in books, journals and newspapers are widely cited throughout the Commonwealth. This was recognised by the award of an honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) by the University of the West Indies in October 2014.
Sir Ron is also a member of the International Advisory Board of The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs .
He is eminently knowledgeable about Commonwealth affairs and well equipped to meet the intellectual challenges of the post of Secretary-General.
Business Experience
Sir Ron also has a business background, having been variously a General Manager, a chief negotiator and a company director of telecommunications organisations in Guyana, Barbados, Belize and the United States; financial institutions in Antigua and Barbuda and Geneva; a sustainable forestry company in Guyana; and as consultant on public-private sector partnerships to a leading legal firm in Canada. His experience of leading multi-disciplinary teams across borders will be invaluable.
