President Peter Salovey joins participants of the Leadership Forum for Strategic Impact, a keystone program of the Yale Africa Initiative, an ongoing effort by Yale to prioritize and expand upon its collaboration on the continent. This year, program participants on campus from May 10-17, include 11 women leaders from eight African countries including Angola, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Benin, Zimbabwe, Libya, and Tunisia. 

The forum — supported by La Fundación Mujeres por África (the Women for Africa Foundation) and Banco Santander — aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of senior African women leaders who already have attained important positions within their nations’ governments, and to further grow a network across Africa to further amplify women’s effectiveness and influence.

The program features seminar-style discussion sessions, presentations, and meetings, all part of an intensive, interactive program concluding with a trip to New York City to meet with leading figures in the United Nations, technology industry, and other organizations. 

Following are participants in this year’s program:

1. María Teresa Fernández de la Vega Sanz

President, Women for Africa Foundation; President, State Council of Spain; former Vice President of Spain

2. Caddy Adzuba – Democratic Republic of the Congo

Journalist, lawyer, women’s rights advocate

3. Maisoun Badawi – Sudan

Development Economist

4. Vicentia Boco – Benin

Former Minister of Higher Education; President, Institute for the Promotion of Women

5. Priscilla Chigumba – Zimbabwe

Chairperson, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission; Judge, High Court of Zimbabwe

6. Sonia Doutel Vaz – Angola

Former National Director of Women’s Rights, Gender Equality and Equity

7. Jolly Kamuntu – Democratic Republic of the Congo

President, Women’s Media Association, South Kivu; President, Karité Jeunesse Nouvelles

8. Samia Melki Fessi – Tunisia

President, KADIRAT

9. Ayat Mneina – Libya/Canada

Co-Founder, Libyan Youth Movement (ShababLibya)

10. Jestina Mukoko – Zimbabwe

Director, Zimbabwe Peace Project

11. Dora Siliya – Zambia

Minister of Information

12. Edith Zewelani Nawakwi – Zambia

President, Forum for Democracy and Development; former Minister of Finance; former Minister of Energy and Water Development; former Minister of Agriculture; former Minister of Labor