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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Jamaican Diplomat Appointed New Deputy Secretary-General For The Commonwealth

3 April 2006

Mr Ransford Smith, a senior public servant from Jamaica, has been appointed Deputy Secretary-General (Economic) of the Commonwealth. He will succeed Mr Winston Cox of Barbados, and becomes the first Jamaican to serve as a Commonwealth Deputy-Secretary General.

Mr Smith is currently Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the Office of the United Nations and its specialised agencies in Geneva, Rome and Vienna. He is also Ambassador of Jamaica to the World Trade Organisation, and serves as Ambassador to a number of European countries.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said: "I am delighted to have Ransford Smith join our team at this time of growth and challenge in the Commonwealth's economic, trade and development work.

"Last year, Commonwealth Governments pledged to substantially increase their commitments to our aid programmes. They have also mandated the Secretariat to strengthen intra-Commonwealth trade and economic linkages, in order to influence the Doha Round of world trade negotiations. Mr Smith brings all the skills and talents required for this important and sensitive work," said Mr McKinnon.

Mr Smith is expected to assume office in July 2006.

"I am excited by the prospect of joining the Commonwealth team and for the opportunity to contribute in areas of importance for members, especially development co-operation and the strengthening of trade performance," said Mr Smith. "I welcome this new challenge, and very much look forward to taking up the post."

Note to Editors:

Mr Ransford Smith is a career diplomat of nearly 30 years standing in the Jamaican Public and Foreign Service. He previously served as Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Commerce and Technology, and also Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Investment. His diplomatic career has included postings at the Jamaican Embassy in Washington DC and the Jamaican Mission to the United Nations in New York.

Mr Smith has extensive experience of participation in multilateral economic and development bodies. He was Chairman of the WTO Committee on Trade and Development (2000-01), Chairman of the Commonwealth Group of Developing Countries in Geneva (2001-02), and President of the Trade and Development Board of UNCTAD (2005-06). He has led Jamaican delegations to international conferences including the Doha Ministerial Conference of the WTO. He was also Chief Negotiator and Spokesperson for the Group of 77 and China at UNCTAD XI in June 2004.

Mr Smith was born in 1949. He has an MA in International Relations and an MBA in Financial Management. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of Distinction in Jamaica for outstanding service in Foreign Affairs in 2005.

 

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