Avance Media announces 2020 Most Influential African Women list

Public Relations and Rating firm, Avance Media, has announced its second annual publication on Africa’s most prominent women dubbed the 2020 100 Most Influential African Women.

The list which has a representation of the most powerful African women from 34 countries. They were chosen from the various career backgrounds including diplomacy, politics, activism, entrepreneurship, business leadership and entertainment. Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana recorded the highest number of women with 20, 11 & nine representatives respectively.

The 2020 list features a record of 75 new entrants with some of the leading names such as Halima Dangote, Ugandan Activist Stella Nyanzi, Olympic Committee Member, Lydia Nsekera and the only 2 female finance ministers in Africa, Vera Daves De Sousa (Angola) & Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed (Nigeria).

The youngest African to make the 2020 list is 24-year-old Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, Emma Theofelus.

According to Prince Akpah, Managing Director of Avance Media, the list is focused on women who are leading various initiatives across the continent and seeks to present them as role models for the younger generation.

He further noted that they were selected because of their incredible achievements as women and they deserve high recommendations among other female trailblazers in Africa.

Criteria for selection included: Excellence in Leadership & Performance, Personal accomplishments, Commitment to sharing knowledge, Breaking the Status Quo and being an accomplished African Woman.

Profiles of the 2020 100 Most Influential African Women are published on 100women.avancemedia.org  

Below is the list of Avance Media’s 2020 100 Most Influential African Women arranged in alphabetical order

1.    Agnes Binagwaho (Prof) || Vice-Chancellor, University of Global Health Equity
2.    Agnes Kalibata || CEO, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
3.    Amanda Mukwashi  || CEO, Christian Aid
4.    Amani Abou-Zeid (H.E Dr.) || Commissioner for Infrastructure & Energy, African Union
5.    Amel Karboul (Dr.) || CEO, Education Outcomes Fund
6.    Amina C. Mohamed (Dr.) || Cabinet Secretary, Sports, Culture & Heritage (Kenya)
7.    Amina J. Mohammed (H.E) || Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations
8.    Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh  || Regional Head, IBM Africa
9.    Angélique Kidjo  || Musician    
10.    Anita Erskine || Founder, Anita Erskine Media
11.    Anna Nimiriano || Editor-in-Chief, Juba Monitor
12.    Anne-Marie Dias Borges || Presenter, BBC
13.    Antoinette Sayeh || Deputy MD, IMF
14.    Arikana Chihombori Quao || Activist    
15.    Aurélie A. Soulé Zoumarou || Minister, Digital Economy and Communications (Benin)
16.    Ayisha Osori  || CEO, Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA)
17.    Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala || Vice President & CFO, AFDB
18.    Bella Disu || Vice Chairman, Globacom
19.    Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu || CEO, soleRebels
20.    Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi || First Lady, Ekiti State
21.    Chileshe Kapwepwe (H.E.) || Secretary-General, (COMESA)
22.    Dorothy Tembo || Ag. Executive Director, International Trade Centre
23.    Edith Yah Brou || Blogger    
24.    Eghosa Oriaikhi Mabhena || CEO, Puma Energy Africa
25.    Ellen Johnson Sirleaf || Founder, EJS Center
26.    Elsie S. Kanza || Head of Africa, World Economic Forum
27.    Emma Lohoues || Actress    
28.    Emma Theofelus || Deputy Minister, Namibia
29.    Esther Cobbah || CEO, Stratcomm Ghana
30.    Fadumo Dayib || Politician    
31.    Faith Osier (Prof) || President, International Union of Immunological Societies
32.    Fatou Bom Bensouda || Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court
33.    Fatoumata Bâ || Founder, Janngo
34.    Françoise Remarck || Chairman, Canal+ Cote D’Ivoire
35.    Graça Machel || Founder, Graca Machel Trust
36.    Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor || Minister, International Relations and Cooperation
37.    Hajer Sharief || Co-Founder, Together We Build it
38.    Hala Zayed (Dr.) || Minister, Health and Population (Egypt)
39.    Halima Dangote || Executive Director, Dangote Group
40.    Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu || CEO, Tony Elumelu Foundation
41.    Ilwad Elman || Director, Elman Peace and Human Rights Center
42.    Irene Charnley || Founder, Smile Communications
43.    Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang (Prof) || Chancellor, Women's University in Africa
44.    Jewel Howard Taylor (H.E) || Vice President, Liberia
45.    Juliet Ehimuan || Director, Google West Africa
46.    Kamissa Camara || Secretary-General, Mali Presidency
47.    Lalla Moulaye Ezzedine || Chairman, Bank of Africa Côte d'Ivoire
48.    Laureen Kouassi-Olsson || Regional Head, Amethis
49.    Leila Bouamatou || Managing Director, BANK OF MAURITANIA GENERAL
50.    Linda Ikeji || CEO, Linda Ikeji Media
51.    Louise Mushikiwabo || Secretary General, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie
52.    Lucy Quist || Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Morgan Stanley
53.    Lydia Nsekera || Member, International Olympic Committee
54.    Magda Wierzycka || CEO, Sygnia
55.    Maggie Kigozi || Chairperson, Africa Scout Foundation
56.    Mamokgethi Phakeng (Prof) || Vice-Chancellor, University of Cape Town
57.    Mansa Nettey || CEO, StanChart Ghana
58.    Martine Coffi-Studer || Chairperson, Bolloré Transport & Logistics
59.    Massogbè Touré || CEO, SITA S.A
60.    Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti (Dr) || Regional Director for Africa, WHO
61.    Melene Rossouw || Founder, Women Lead Movement
62.    Mimi Kalinda || CEO, Africa Communications Media Group
63.    Monica Geingos (H.E) || First Lady, Republic of Namibia    
64.    Nana Asantewa Afadzinu || Executive Director, WASCI
65.    Nathalie Akon Gabala || Regional Head, Mastercard Foundation
66.    Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli || Founder, LEAP Africa
67.    Ngozi Okonjo Iweala || Board Chair, Gavi Alliance
68.    Nompumelelo Thembekile Madisa || CEO, Bidvest Group
69.    Olajumoke Adenowo || Founder, AD Consulting
70.    Oumou Sangaré || Musician    
71.    Owen Omogiafo || CEO, Transcorp Group
72.    Patricia Obo-Nai || CEO, Vodafone Ghana
73.    Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (Dr) || Executive Director, UN Women
74.    Racheal Njoroge || Managing Director, Cummins
75.    Rachel Sibande (Dr) || Founder, mHub
76.    Rasha Kelej (Dr) || CEO, Merck Foundation
77.    Rawya Mansour || Founder, RAMSCO
78.    Raychelle Omamo || Minister, Foreign Affairs (Kenya)
79.    Rita Bissoonauth || Head, AU International Centre for Girls and Women’s Education
80.    Sahle-Work Zewde (H.E) || President, Ethiopia
81.    Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey || Minister, Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (Ghana)
82.    Sinach || Musician    
83.    Sisi Ntombela || Premier, Free State (South Africa)
84.    Snowy Khoza (Dr) || CEO, Bigen Africa
85.    Soham El Wardini || Mayor, Dakar
86.    Sola David-Borha || Group CEO, Standard Bank Africa
87.    Stella Nyanzi (Dr.) || Convenor, Women's Protest Uganda
88.    Sylvia Mulinge || Chief Customer Officer, Safaricom
89.    Temie Giwa-Tubosun || Founder, LifeBank
90.    Toyin Sanni || CEO, Emerging Africa Capital
91.    Toyin Saraki || Founder, Wellbeing Foundation Africa
92.    Uche Pedro || Founder, BELLANAIJA
93.    Vera Daves De Sousa || Minister, Finance (Angola)
94.    Vera Songwe (Dr) || Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
95.    Wala'a Essam Al-Boushi || Minister, Youth and Sport (Sudan)
96.    Wanjira Mathai || Vice President & Regional Director for Africa, World Resources Institute
97.    Winnie Byanyima || Executive Director, UNAIDS
98.    Yemi Alade || Musician    
99.    Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr || Mayor, Freetown
100.    Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed || Minister, Finance (Nigeria)

Ivorians hit the streets to resist Ottara’s third term

Protests have historically been a young men activity. In Cote d’Ivoire today everyone is participating in what the opposition is calling nationwide persistent resistance against tyranny.

When protester first hit the streets in the aftermath of President Outtara’s announcement to run for a third term, police responded with live fire killing some protesters.

Today everyone including market women have joined to protest what some experts call France-backed illegality of President Allassane Outtara’s third term.

Stay with us for updates on this developing story.

ECOWAS leaders call for immediate return to constitutional order in Mali

ECOWAS leaders call for immediate return to constitutional order in Mali

At the heels of the military uprising in Mali, Chairman of ECOWAS President Issoufou Mahamadou, President of Niger called for an extraordinary meeting of member states a few hours ago to deliberate on the situation.

In a video conference of all the heads of member states, they agreed to condemn with the greatest firmness the overthrow of the constitutionally elected government of President Boubacar Keita and called for the immediate restoration of the constitutional order

The West African leaders reminded the military of its primary responsibility of ensuring safety and security of economic, commercial, and financial relations between Mali and the rest of the region.

The leaders did not rule out the use of ECOWAS standby force, but resolved instead to send a high powered delegation to Mali to ensure the return to what they termed the constitutional order.

A group of young military personnel led by Colonel Sadio Diaw Camara staged a mutiny and arrested President Keita after weeks of violent unrest during which protesters demanded the resignation of President Keita.

The mutinying solders were able to secure that resignation by the president and immediately vowed to conduct a free and fair election to restore Mali to constitutional rule. But the ECOWAS meeting and its resulting resolution suggests that Keita’s peers in the region are not satisfied with that arrangement.

West Africa has a large concentration of former French colonies which have mostly been led by those perceived to be puppets of France.

One expert DNT spoke to in Senegal said Senegalese citizens, just like their Malian counterparts, have a very negative opinion of France. They think France is most responsible for the backwardness in terms of economy of the former colonies like Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Tigo, Benin, Niger, Chad, and Burkina Faso,” Dialo said.

Diallo further stated that political figures in Senegal have issued a stern warning to President Macky Salle not to even think about following the dictatorial path that Allassane Outtarra of Cote d’Ivoire and Alpha Combe of Guinea are pursuing by staying beyond their constitutionally mandated two terms.