LONDON, 13 May 2020 – The Mo Ibrahim Foundation is pleased to announce the selection of the 2020 intake of Ibrahim Leadership Fellows, who make up the programme’s ninth cohort.
The incoming Fellows include Hainan Taifour (Sudan), who joins the International Trade Centre (ITC), Eliam Kadewele (Malawi), who joins the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and Sylvain Degolmal Ngaryo (Chad), who will join the African Development Bank (AfDB). Due to the impact of COVID-19, Sylvain will be taking up his post in 2021.
The Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships programme is a selective programme designed to identify and prepare the next generation of outstanding African leaders, providing them with mentoring opportunities in key multilateral institutions. The candidates, chosen from a pool of over 2,000 applicants, will benefit from the direct mentorship of the current heads of the institutions.
Commenting on the new Ibrahim Leadership Fellows, Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, said:
“I’d like to congratulate our three new Ibrahim Leadership Fellows who are joining this unique programme. Today, Africa faces severe challenges that highlight the need for strong leadership and sound governance. There has never been a better time to invest and support a new generation of future leaders. My aspiration for the new Fellows is that they will enhance the expertise required to drive this continent forward, by learning, using their skills and working in close collaboration with colleagues in these important organisations.”
Hanan Taifour (Sudan) joins ITC. Hanan is an economist with extensive experience in economic policy research, project management and supporting the growth of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in Africa. She has worked with organisations including the Economic Policy Research Institute in South Africa.
Eliam Kadewele (Malawi) joins ECA. Eliam is an economist with vast experience in the public sector focusing on economic policy formulation and analysis, project development and management, planning and budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, economic analysis and financial modelling. He has worked for the Malawian parliament and undertaken a range of roles in the Malawian Ministry of Finance.
Sylvain Degolmal Ngaryo (Chad) will join the AfDB. Sylvain is an entrepreneur with extensive experience in the energy sector. His professional experience include the management of various energy programmes including renewables, bioenergy, oil and gas. Sylvain has worked for organisations such as the African Union (AU) and N’Djamena Refinery Company Limited.
The application process for the 2021 Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships programme will open in August 2020.
For more information on the Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships, or to learn more about activities undertaken by previous Fellows since the completion of their programme, visit our website:
About the Foundation
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation was established in 2006 with a focus on the critical importance of political leadership and public governance in Africa. By providing tools to support progress in leadership and governance, the Foundation aims to promote meaningful change on the continent. The Foundation, which is a non grant-making organisation, focusses on defining, assessing and enhancing public governance and political leadership in Africa.
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation has published a report, calling for coordinated governance, improved health structures and better data to mitigate the crisis on the continent. The Foundation is also publishing a daily summary of related news and analysis with a focus on the African continent. You can find this on mif.link/covid19 and our social media channels.
