[2] From this operational base, a large part of the Secretary-General's work involves travelling around the Commonwealth keeping in personal contact with those at the heart of the governments of member states.

They are supported by three deputy secretaries-general, which are elected by the Commonwealth heads of government via the members' high commissioners in London.

The chair of the CHOGM (the head of government of the host nation) is responsible for ascertaining which candidate has the greatest support, through the conduct of negotiations and secret straw polls.

[5] Although this practice was occasionally deemed to be a convention,[6] it was broken by a Zimbabwe-backed bid for Sri Lankan Lakshman Kadirgamar to displace New Zealand's Don McKinnon in 2003.

[7] In March 2019, the 53 high commissioners, meeting in London, confirmed the unwritten rule allowing secretaries-general to be challenged for a second term.

Sharma had won the position at the 2007 CHOGM, when he defeated Malta's Michael Frendo to replace McKinnon, who had served the maximum two terms.

[10] At the 2024 CHOGM, Ghanian foreign minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey was elected to succeed Baroness Scotland.