Kamalesh Sharma takes over as Commonwealth Secretary-General

Kamalesh Sharma, one of India's most distinguished diplomats, took office as Commonwealth Secretary-General on 1 April 2008.

He succeeded Don McKinnon, who stepped down when his eight-year tenure ended on 31 March 2008.

Mr Sharma was appointed to the post last November by Commonwealth Heads of Government at their biennial meeting in Kampala, Uganda.

"I take up office with confidence and enthusiasm. I am grateful to the leaders of our 53 member countries for the trust they have placed in me to carry forward the work of the Commonwealth," said Mr Sharma, who served as India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom before his appointment as Secretary-General.

"It is an honour and privilege to serve this great organisation. The Commonwealth is a great global good. It is a force for genuine and creative partnership in addressing our collective challenges. I look forward to building on its strengths and achievements."

Mr Sharma praised Mr McKinnon for his contribution to the Commonwealth's twin and mutually reinforcing goals of promoting democracy and development. "I congratulate Don for outstanding leadership and commitment during his term as Secretary-General."

The new Secretary-General stated he intended to put the potential in sharing mutual strengths, issues of women and young people, as well as development challenges faced by small states in particular, among his priority concerns.

"I will encourage innovativeness and resourcefulness," said Mr Sharma, a Delhi and Cambridge-educated diplomat whose career has included serving as a Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General to Timor Leste, acting as Spokesperson for developing countries in the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) during the Uruguay Round of trade talks, and chairing the working group on Financing for Development which led to the Monterrey Consensus.

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