Nardos Bekele-Thomas

Chief Executive Officer

AUDA-NEPAD

Nardos Bekele-Thomas is the Chief Executive Officer of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). Her immediate former role is as the Resident Coordinator of the UN and Resident Representative of the UNDP in South Africa. In 2016, she served as the Senior Director of the Office of the former UN Secretary-General, H.E. Ban Ki-Moon. She also worked as the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Kenya and in Benin. As a Private Sector Policy advisor, she has carried out policy studies and developed programmes on the promotion of entrepreneurship and business skills training for employment and job creation for women and youth.

Event Schedule

DAY 1

18 July 2023

Start Time	End Time	Session	Description	Action
12:00 pm EEST	01:30 pm EEST	Maputo@20: Bridging the Gap Between Policies and People Plenary KCC Auditorium	Watch the recording here A high-level accountability session with thought leaders that spotlights Africa’s priorities and actions taken to advance Gender Equality and Read More Watch the recording here A high-level accountability session with thought leaders that spotlights Africa’s priorities and actions taken to advance Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Africa, in light of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa turning 20 years in 2023. The session will be anchored on the 3Ps Framework of the African Union Commission’s Women, Gender and Youth Directorate; Policies, Partnerships and People with Promising Practices. The storyline will focus on how to connect African Union Policies to the African people through impactful Afro-centered partnerships, while highlighting promising practices at different levels. Opening Session: Moderator: Ms. Prudence Ngwenya, Director, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, AUC Ms. Karen Ondwasi, Former Chairperson, Gender is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) Youth Network Ms. Malado Kaba, Director, AfDB Gender of, Women and Civil Society Directorate H.E Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission (AUC) Keynote Address: H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former President of Republic of Liberia and Patron of the Women Leader Network (AWLN) Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Dr. Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda, Former AU Goodwill Ambassador on Ending Child Marriage King Mansour Maiguizo, Male Traditional Leader, Niger Ms. Natsnet Ghebrebrhan, Violence Against Women (VAW) Prevention Coordinator, Raising Voices, Uganda Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion Ms. Malado Kaba, Director, AfDB Gender of, Women and Civil Society Directorate Ms. Prudence Ngwenya, Director, AUC Women Gender and Youth Directorate Ms. Christine Baingana, Financial Services Executive CEO at Urwego Bank Beyond The Bridge: Promising Practices in Africa Moderator: Ms. Nathalie Gahunga, Ag. Divison Manager, Gender and Women Empowerment Division, AfDB, AHGC Dr. Fatoumata Haidara, Director of Sahel, Plan International H.E. Nardos Bekele Thomas, CEO, AUDA-NEPAD H.E. Monica Geingos, First Lady of Namibia and President of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) H.E. Mrs. Angeline Ndayishimiye, First Lady of the Republic of Burundi Read Less Speakers Prudence Ngwenya Director, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate African Union Commission Fatoumata Haidara Sahel Director Plan International in West and Central Africa Nardos Bekele-Thomas Chief Executive Officer AUDA-NEPAD Karen Ondwasi Chairperson GIMAC Young Women Network H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Founder Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center) Natsnet Ghebrebrhan Violence Against Women (VAW) Prevention Director Raising Voices Monica Geingos First Lady of the Republic of Namibia and President of the Organization of African First Ladies (OAFLAD)