Mo Ibrahim Foundation announces 3 new leadership fellows

the new Mo Ibrahim Fellows- L-R Fatou Wurie, Adu-Gyamfi and Gaokgakala Sobatha

the new Mo Ibrahim Fellows- L-R Fatou Wurie, Adu-Gyamfi and Gaokgakala Sobatha

the new Mo Ibrahim Fellows- L-R Fatou Wurie, Adu-Gyamfi and Gaokgakala Sobatha
the new Mo Ibrahim Fellows- L-R Fatou Wurie, Adu-Gyamfi and Gaokgakala Sobatha

By Abankula

Fatou Wurie from Sierra Leone, Gaokgakala Sobatha from Botswana and Richard Adu-Gyamfi from Ghana have been named the 2021 Ibrahim Leadership Fellows for this year.

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation announced this today, saying the fellows will participate in one-year mentoring programmes at leading multilateral institutions.

While Wurie will be mentored by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Gaokgakala Sobatha will join the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Adu-Gyamfi will join the International Trade Centre (ITC).

Fatou, Gaokgakala and Richard make up the tenth cohort of the Ibrahim Leadership Fellows programme, which was established in 2011 by the Foundation to identify and mentor the next generation of outstanding African leaders.

During their 12-month programmes, Fellows gain both technical and leadership skills, while contributing directly to research and policy design.

A special feature of the programme is the opportunity to benefit from the direct mentorship of the heads of the host organisations.

Since 2012, 28 Fellows (including this year’s cohort) from across Africa have participated in the programme.

Upon completion of their placements, Fellows become members of the Foundation’s Now Generation Network (NGN), a group of over 250 emerging leaders from over 40 countries who are committed to building a better Africa.

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Jendayi Frazer, Head of the Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships programme congratulated the new fellows.

Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, said: “Africa’s future will be determined by the strength of its leadership.

“By far the best way to nurture the potential of the next generation of leaders is by providing them with first-hand opportunities to develop their expertise and confidence.

“I’m delighted to welcome the 2021 Ibrahim Fellows to the Foundation family and I wish them all the best for their placements.”

NOTES ON THE FELLOWS

Fatou, the fellow from Sierra Leone, is a social justice and public policy practitioner, with over ten years’ national and international interdisciplinary experience in leading programmes at the nexus of innovation, women’s rights and strategic change initiatives.

Sobatha Gaokgakala is an urban governance and development specialist with fifteen years’ experience in the public sector.

Her areas of expertise include urban and regional development planning and coordination, social development, environment and climate change.

Adu-Gyamfi is an expert in entrepreneurship and intra-African trade. He is a co-author of the AfroChampions ‘AfCFTA Year Zero Report’, which highlights the commitment and implementation readiness of African countries towards the African Continental Free Trade Area.

The application process for the 2022 Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships programme will open in August 2021.

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