The African Union, through its African Union Leadership Academy (AULA), is convening the first ever leadership debate for which will give candidates an opportunity to speak to African citizens, popularize the AU and give their vision for an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.
The debate will take place in the context of the series “Africa Leadership Debates”, dubbed Mjadala Afrika, which will be a platform for key stakeholders in various aspects of society to discuss the various opportunities that can be harnessed to ensure Africa achieves its goals for integrated and sustainable development and transforming the continent to become a major player in the global arena.
Other panelists on the debate include Botswana’s foreign minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, Chad’s foreign minister Moussa Faki Mahamat, Equatorial Guinea’s foreign minister Agapito Mba Mokuy and Senegal’s Bathily Abdoulaye who is the special UN envoy for Central Africa.
The event will be live streamed on the AU live stream link which is available on the AU website www.au.int and It will also be broadcast live from 1930 to 2130 hours EAT, or 1630 to 1830 GMT.
Amb. (Dr.) Amina Mohamed has had a distinguished career in the Public Service spanning over 29 years covering a broad spectrum of domestic and international assignments.
She rose through the ranks in Kenya’s diplomatic service from that of a Legal Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the highest level of Ambassador/Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kenya to the UN in Geneva.
She later served as the Permanent Secretary for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs. She was then appointed the United Nations Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi.
As Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, she supervised the drafting, negotiation and promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya (2010). At UNEP, Amb. Mohamed spearheaded the implementation of UNEP’s Medium Term Strategy and Programmes as well as on-going reforms. She was actively engaged with intergovernmental processes in implementing the RIO+20 outcomes and support efforts to enhance the funding base of the organization.
Following her appointment as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2013, Amb. Mohamed has demonstrated solid leadership and strong negotiation skills, which have seen Kenya re-position herself in the international arena. Amb. Mohamed has been instrumental in the restructuring, reforming and rationalisation of Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Missions abroad, and chaired the team that drafted Kenya’s foreign trade policy.
She has also been influential in promoting Africa’s agenda in multi-lateral fora including in the World Trade Organisation where she chaired the 10th Ministerial Conference, successfully hosted in Nairobi. She continues to champion for Africa’s voice to be heard within the United Nations System through the proposed United Nations Security Council reforms, with Kenya as a member of the AU Committee of Ten on the Security Council reforms.
Amb. Mohamed was recently honoured by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as one of the four UNDP Champions for the year 2016.
Amb. Mohamed holds a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Kiev and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from KCA University and Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree from Moi University. She is fluent in English, Russian and Swahili and has a working knowledge of French.
