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Foreign Affairs Minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, has lost her bid for the position of Commonwealth Secretary-General.
According to the preliminary results of the vote among Commonwealth leaders, incumbent Baroness Patricia Scotland polled 27 ballots to Mrs Johnson Smith's 25.
The vote means Baroness Scotland, who was first elected at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in 2015, will retain her position and serve a second term.
Responding after the results were announced, Mrs Johnson Smith thanked "every country and every person" who supported her bid, noting that she had always said if she didn't win, it meant "God wasn't ready for me to leave Jamaica yet."
She also extended "sincere congratulations" to Baroness Scotland and wished her well in continuing in her role.
In a tweet, Baroness Scotland responded, thanking Mrs Johnson Smith for her "gracious congratulations". "I am looking forward to working with you closely in the years to come. I am sure you will achieve great things by God's grace," she continued.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has also congratulated Baroness Scotland on her re-election as Commonwealth Secretary-General.
With regard to Senator Johnson Smith, he said she ran a distinguished and exemplary campaign and the government is happy it put forward a strong, credible and competent candidate.
He added that Mrs Johnson Smith's candidature won her the respect and admiration of many countries within the Commonwealth and brought prominence to Jamaica.
Mr. Holness noted that several members of the Cabinet had mixed feelings about Mrs Johnson Smith's bid and are relieved that she remains Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
Two-year term
It's understood that Baroness Patricia Scotland's promise not to go beyond another two years in the post of Commonwealth Secretary-General was a deciding factor in her victory on Friday at the Heads of Government meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.
Her first term should have ended in 2020, but was extended two years because of the pandemic.
A rift opened up among Commonwealth member countries over whether the 2022 election should constitute a new full four-year term or two more years.
Mrs Johnson Smith sought a full second term which would have delayed the African countries taking up the role in line with the rotation schedule.
But in a last-ditch effort to save her career, Baroness Scotland had to promise that she would only seek two more years in the job instead of a full second term.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that this swayed African countries to her side.
Baroness Scotland's retention of the post is being viewed in the UK as a big blow to Prime Minister Boris Johnson who had publicly expressed support for Jamaica's candidate.
Mr. Johnson did not show any sign of frustration at the result as he told a press conference, "It's a good day for democracy."
Baroness Scotland had long declared that there was no vacancy and objected to the challenge.
She again made it clear in her address at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that she intended to complete two terms. This was before the vote was decided.
"We have laid the foundations for transformational change and I am determined that when the role of Secretary-General rotates to Africa, two years from now, I will hand on the baton with a stronger, more effective, more powerful Commonwealth than ever before," she had declared.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will end on Saturday.
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