Sir Shridath “Sonny” Ramphal served as the second Secretary-General of the Commonwealth from 1975 to 1990 — and remains its longest-serving SG. A Guyanese lawyer, diplomat and global statesman, his leadership helped define the modern Commonwealth. His work championed justice, decolonisation, environmental awareness and the voice of small states. Here are 10 impactful things you may not know about his remarkable tenure.

1. Pioneering leadership from the Global South

In 1975, Ramphal became the first Secretary-General from a developing country. His appointment marked a transformative shift in Commonwealth leadership — bringing the voice of the Global South to the centre of Commonwealth decision-making.

Hear him talk about the role of Secretary-General in his 2020 interview with Commonwealth Round Table's Rita Payne:

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Sir Shridath Ramphal, with the first Secretary-General Arnold Smith, at  Commonwealth Headquarters, Marlborough House, London.
Sir Shridath Ramphal, with the first Secretary-General Arnold Smith, at Commonwealth Headquarters, Marlborough House, London.

2. He fought relentlessly to end apartheid

Sir Sonny was one of the most consistent and influential global figures in the fight against apartheid. He galvanised the Commonwealth to apply sanctions and moral pressure, contributing to international momentum for South Africa’s liberation.

Ramphal also  convened an independent Eminent Persons Group (EPG), to visit South Africa and meet with key stakeholders, including visits with Mandela in prison. Unsuccessful at the time, the EPG’s work  was later called prophetic’ by RF ‘Pik’ Botha. “It embodied all the elements which formed the basis of the negotiations between the South African Government and the ANC four years later”.

Read the full interview

Image right: Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group (EPG), Marlborough House, London, 1986: L-R: Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal, Archbishop Edward Scott, Dame Nita Barrow, Malcolm Fraser, General Olusegun Obasanjo, Lord Barber of Wentbridge, Sarsar Swaran Singh, John Malecela.

Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group (EPG), Marlborough House, London, 1986: L-R: Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal, Archbishop Edward Scott, Dame Nita Barrow, Malcolm Fraser, General Olusegun Obasanjo, Lord Barber of Wentbridge, Sarsar Swaran Singh, John Malecela.
Press Briefing after the meeting of Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers on Southern Africa (CFMSA), Parliament House, Canberra, Australia 1989. L-R: Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal; Joe Clarke, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Canada; Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans.

A Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers on Southern Africa (CFMSA) was later established to coordinate the implementation of agreed Commonwealth Sanctions. It also gave special attention to the question of destabilization of its neighbours by South Africa.

Image left: Press Briefing after the meeting of Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers on Southern Africa (CFMSA), Parliament House, Canberra, Australia 1989. L-R: Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal; Joe Clarke, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Canada; Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans.

Perceptively recognising that public perception was critical in winning support for the cause, a joint workshop on countering apartheid propaganda was held in conjunction with the United Nations

Listen to Ramphal speaking at the Countering Apartheid Propaganda workshop

Perceptively recognising that public perception was critical in winning support for the cause, a joint workshop on countering apartheid propaganda was held in conjunction with the United Nations Listen to Ramphal speaking at the Countering Apartheid Propaganda workshop here

3. He supported majority rule and development across southern Africa

Ramphal played a vital role in the transition of Southern Rhodesia to Zimbabwe. The 1979 CHOGM in Lusaka paved the way for  the deployment of the first Commonwealth election observer mission, and helped navigate one of Africa’s most complex decolonisation processes — supporting peaceful independence and majority rule.

The support for southern Africa expanded beyond the political sphere. The technical machinery of the Secretariat was similarly deployed to deliver capacity building assistance to front line states as a means to reducing their economic dependency on South Africa. Although not a Commonwealth member at the time this included Mozambique.

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Secretary-General Shirdath Ramphal with Mozambique's foreign minister, Marlborough House, London, UK
Secretary-General Shirdath Ramphal with Mozambique's foreign minister, Marlborough House, London, UK.

 

4. He stood up for small and vulnerable states

Under his leadership, the Commonwealth began championing the unique challenges faced by small island and vulnerable states. He ensured they had a voice in multilateral debates — on climate change, debt, and economic justice.

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Sir Shridath Ramphal with Indian Prime Minister Indira Gadhi at the CHOGM in New Delhi 1983
Sir Shridath Ramphal with Indian Prime Minister Indira Gadhi at the CHOGM in New Delhi 1983.

Following the events in Grenada the previous month, the problems of small states, including their security, prompted urgent action.  Ramphal convened a High Level Commonwealth Consultative Group who produced the report Vulnerability: small states in the global society: and this looked at aspects such as military, political, economic, technical, social and cultural vulnerabilities.

5. He championed economic fairness

Ramphal argued forcefully for a more equitable global economy. He helped position the Commonwealth as a moral voice calling for trade reform, fairer terms of aid, and global policies that support the development aspirations of poorer nations.

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Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal at a Meeting of the Commonwealth Expert Group on Increasing Protectionism and its Impact on Developing Countries
Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal (centre) at a Meeting of the Commonwealth Expert Group on Increasing Protectionism and its Impact on Developing Countries, Marlborough House, London, UK, 1982.

Read the final report, Protectionism: Threat to International Order: The Impact on Developing Countries, Report by a Group of Experts

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President Khama of Botswana explains a point to the Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal during a visit to one of the stands at a trade fair
President Khama of Botswana explains a point to the Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal during a visit to one of the stands at a trade fair.

6. He foresaw the climate crisis

Though the environment was not yet high on the international agenda, Sir Sonny was ahead of his time. The Commonwealth was one of the first organisations to publish on rising sea levels — advocating for sustainable development decades early.

Following a mandate from leaders in 1987 CHOGM, Ramphal convened a group of experts to examine the implications of rises in the sea-level.  Read an early publication on this topic, Climate Change: Meeting the Challenge: Report by a Commonwealth Group of Experts.

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Shridath Ramphal at the 1987 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Vancouver, Canada
Shridath Ramphal at the 1987 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Vancouver, Canada.

7. He was a skilled peace mediator

With his calm authority and diplomatic finesse, Ramphal quietly helped mediate in several global tensions. His ability to earn trust on all sides gave the Commonwealth a respected role in peacebuilding during a time of Cold War rivalries and postcolonial unrest.

Informal in style and without advisers, Ramphal also made  constructive use of the CHOGM leaders retreats. While differences between the UK leader and the rest of the Commonwealth on the issue of South Africa persisted, real progress on the environment was developed at the retreat in Malaysia, 1989.

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UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Commonwealth Secretary-General Sonny Ramphal at the opening session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Commonwealth Secretary-General Sonny Ramphal at the opening session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Malaysia, 1989.

8. He used his pen to influence hearts and minds

Beyond diplomacy, Sir Sonny was a powerful writer and thinker. His books and speeches – including ‘One World To Share’ – helped shape discourse on development, global justice and the responsibility of rich nations to the global community.

Read a selection of his words below. Or you can read his speeches in full here Speeches – Sir Shridath Ramphal

“We cannot negotiate for the world, but we can help the world to negotiate”

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Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley with Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal
Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley with Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal at a function to launch 'One World to Share' a selection of speeches by Mr Ramphal, published by Hutchinson Benham, London, 5 November 1979.

“The Commonwealth's present is too rich in dynamic to allow us to superimpose the past upon it. Its contemporary role is too vital for us to permit it to appear on the world stage wearing the mask of the preceding scene - for we too, even within the Commonwealth could tend to lose the meaning of the play.”

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The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Shridath Ramphal touring the Media Centre, Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, India
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Shridath Ramphal touring the Media Centre, Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, India, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), 20 November 1983.

“What was needed if peoples of the world were to be made less unequal in their economic destinies was not so much the outvoting of a rich minority or their passive acquiescence in the promise of change, but the conversion of that minority to the need for change and the urgency of its imperative. Such conversation cannot be expected from the processes of United Nations action only; other fora, other forms of diplomacy, other machinery for dialogue that possess a potential for promoting such conversation must render service to the cause of change.”

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The Commonwealth Secretary General, Dr. Shridath Ramphal releasing the book Commonwealth Today at the Media Centre Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi
The Commonwealth Secretary General, Dr. Shridath Ramphal releasing the book Commonwealth Today at the Media Centre Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.

9. He earned honours across continents

Sir Sonny was celebrated by nations around the world, receiving high-level honours from the Caribbean, Pacific, Africa, Asia, and Europe— reflecting the global esteem in which he was held for his principled and far-reaching work.

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Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal, receiving the order of Australia from HM Queen Elizabeth II on board the Royal Yacht Brittania, Brisbane, Australia.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal, receiving the order of Australia from HM Queen Elizabeth II on board the Royal Yacht Brittania, Brisbane, Australia.

10. He helped define the modern Commonwealth

His leadership helped shift the Commonwealth from a post-imperial association to a moral and political force for good. Under his watch, it became a more cohesive voice for democracy, equality, and international solidarity — values that still define it today.

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Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal and staff members at the Commonwealth Secretariat's 20th Anniversary reception
Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal and staff members at the Commonwealth Secretariat's 20th Anniversary reception in the gardens of Marlborough House, London, UK, 1 July 1985.