Elizabeth Mrema

Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (UNEP)

On 27 December 2022, the UN Secretary-General announced the appointment of Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema of the United Republic of Tanzania as Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). She assumed her responsibilities on 15 February 2023. Prior to this role, Ms. Mrema served as the Executive Secretary of the Secretariat for the Convention on Biological Diversity starting in June 2020, having previously served in an acting capacity in the role since December 2019. Prior to that, Ms. Mrema served in various capacities in her two decades at UNEP, including as the Director of the Law Division and the Deputy Director of the Ecosystems Division. From 2009 to 2012, she served as the Executive Secretary of the Secretariat for the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals as well as served as the Acting Executive Secretary of the UNEP/ASCOBANS (Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas) as well as Interim Executive Secretary of the UNEP/Gorilla Agreement, all based in Bonn, Germany. Before joining UNEP, she worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania and left as a Counsellor/Senior Legal Counsel. During her time with the ministry, she was also a lecturer in Public International Law and Conference Diplomacy at Tanzania's Centre for Foreign Relations and Diplomacy. She had also served as a pro bono visiting lecturer at the University of Nairobi Law School and in the past at the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), Rome, Italy. A lawyer and career diplomat with LLB (Hons) from the University of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, LLM from Dalhousie University, Canada and Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations and Diplomacy (Summa Cum Laude) from the Centre of Foreign Relations and Diplomacy in Dar-esSalaam, Tanzania. In 2021, the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL), in collaboration with the UNEP, awarded Ms. Mrema with the Nicholas Robinson Award for Excellence in Environmental Law. This prestigious honour was bestowed in recognition of her career achievements, dedicated to advancing the environmental rule of law. In 2022, she was awarded the Kew International Award for her work in protecting nature and was listed as one of the Most Influential African Women in 2021, 2022 and 2023, as selected by Avance Media. In 2023, she was included by Time magazine in their list of 'The 100 Most Influential People of 2023' and was among the Financial Times 25 most influential women of 2023. She is also the co-chair of the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures.

Inna Modja

Land Ambassador, UNCCD

Inna Modja is a Malian-French Visual Artist & Musician. She's a UNCCD Land Ambassador, CEO & co-founder of Code Green & a strong figure for Social, Environmental & Climate Justice. She is also the protagonist of the documentary 'The Great Green Wall.' She takes us on an epic journey along Africa’s ambitious project to bring life back to Africa’s degraded landscapes in the Sahel region and thereby hold back the expansion of the Sahara Desert. The project, which is now being implemented in more than 20 countries across Africa, is a symbol of hope in the face of one of the biggest challenges of our time – desertification. Women, young people and everyone can work the land and reap the benefits when the land remain productive. Inna is changing the narrative of the Sahel. Her music, energy, commitment, and humanitarian work resonate with audiences worldwide.

Rose Mwebaza

Director and Regional Representative, UNEP Africa Office

Dr Rose Mwebaza is the Director and Regional Representative of UNEP Africa Office. Prior to this Ms Mwebaza served as the Director and Advisory Board Secretary of the United Nations Climate Technology Centre & Network (CTCN), the implementation arm of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Technology Mechanism. Rose was a lecturer at Makerere University between 1997 and 2008 where she also served as the Head of Department for Commercial Law, and Deputy Dean of the Law School. She then served as the Regional Policy Adviser for Eastern and Southern Africa on Climate Change in the Environment and Energy Group, at the United Nations Development Programme Bureau for Development Policy in Johannesburg, South Africa. She later served as Programme Manager for UNDP’s regional office for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where she was also designated as Advisor to the Chairperson of the African Union and Advisor to the Committee of Heads of State and Government on Climate Change. Rose then joined the banking sector and served as Chief Natural Resources Officer at the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Rose holds a Ph.D. in Environment and Natural Resource Governance from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; a master’s degree in international Comparative Law (With a Certificate of Academic Excellence) from the University of Florida, U.S.A, and a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL. B, Hons.) from Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. She is a Carl Duisburg Research fellow at the World Conservation Union (IUCN), a member of the UN Master Minds, a Member of the Association of Environmental Law Lecturers in Africa, and a founding member of the Network for African Women Environmentalists.

Jochen Flasbarth

State Secretary, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany

Jochen Flasbarth took office as State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in December 2021. From 2013 to 2021, he was State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. Prior to that, he held the position of President of the Federal Environment Agency for four years. He holds a degree in economics from the Universities of Münster and Bonn.

Youba Sokona

IPCC-Vice Chair and Special Advisor for Sustainable Development , IPCC and South Centre

Prof SOKONA, with over 40 years of experience addressing energy, environment and sustainable development in Africa, has been at the heart of numerous national and continental initiatives. He was a Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sixth assessment report after serving as Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group III for the fifth assessment report following being a Lead Author since 1990. He has a proven track record of organisational leadership and management, for example as Inaugural Coordinator of the African Climate Policy Centre and as Executive Secretary of the Sahara and the Sahel Observatory. He is affiliated with numerous boards and organisations. For example among others he is Honorary Professor at University College London, member of The World Academy of Sciences, the African Academy of Sciences, the International Council of Science, Associate member of the National Academy of Sciences and Technology of Senegal and Honorary member of the Academy of Sciences of Mali . In short, Prof SOKONA is a global figure, with deep technical knowledge, extensive policy experience and an unreserved personal commitment to African led development.

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli

President & CEO, ONE Campaign

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli is the President/CEO of the ONE Campaign. She has over 25 years of international development experience and has been deeply involved in fostering impactful solutions in the global social innovation landscape, with a focus on Africa. Ndidi started her career at McKinsey & Company’s Chicago office and returned to Nigeria in 2000 to serve as the pioneer Executive Director of the FATE Foundation. She is the founder of LEAP Africa, a non-profit committed to developing dynamic, innovative and principled African leaders and African Food Changemakers, which provides support for African entrepreneurs to start and scale resilient and sustainable agribusinesses. She is also the co-founder of Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition Ltd. and AACE Foods Processing & Distribution Ltd. Ndidi serves on the boards of the Rockefeller Foundation, Stanbic IBTC Group, the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum, and the Bridgespan Group. Ndidi holds an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree with honors from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She was a Senior Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business & Government at the Harvard Kennedy School, a visiting Scholar at Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University, an Aspen Institute New Voices Fellow, and an Eisenhower Fellow. Ndidi is a TED speaker, and has been recognized internationally for her contributions, including as a Schwab Fellow and a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and receiving a National Honor by the Nigerian Government and the Harvard Business School Distinguished Alumni Award. She is also a published author on topics related to entrepreneurship, social innovation, and resilient agriculture businesses in Africa, including “Social Innovation in Africa: A Practical Guide for Scaling Impact,” and “Food Entrepreneurs in Africa: Scaling Resilient Agriculture Businesses,” and “Walking for God in the Marketplace.”

Ineza Grace

Coordinator, Loss and Damage Youth Coalition

Ineza is an Eco-Feminist impact-driven actor in the climate change sector serving the global community based in Rwanda. She believes in the value of sharing frontline voices, concerns and actions in the pursuit to achieve global climate justice. Her passion for climate justice can be tracked in her involvement in The Green Protector (Rwanda), where she serves as the executive officer and the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition (global), where she serves as the coordinator. She holds a bachelor's degree in Water and environmental engineering from the University of Rwanda and is fascinated by climate policy research.

Carlos Lopes

Honorary Professor and WRI Board Member Director, University of Cape Town; African Union

Honorary Professor at Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance Faculty of the Commerce University of Cape Town. Visiting Professor at Sciences Po, Paris, and Associate Fellow at Chatham House, London and 2022 Fellow at Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford. Has been associated with a number of high-level boards, including the Global Commission for Economy and Climate, Global Commission for the Future of Work, Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation, Kofi Annan Foundation, and Blockchain Charity Foundation. Is a current member of the boards of Jakaya Kikwete Foundation, Hailemariam and Roman Foundation, the Graça Machel Trust, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, the Global Advisory Board of the African Leadership Institute, Waterloo University International Advisory Board, African Center for Cities Advisory Board, the Board of Directors of the World Resource Institute, Chair of the board and Advisory Council of the African Climate Foundation, Member of the Nature Markets Task Force, Member of the United Nations High-Level Expert Group on Net-O Certification by Non-State Entities, Member of the United Nations Committee for Development Policy, as well as Foundation Fellow of the International Science Council, Honorary Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences and Lifetime Member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences. Cândido Mendes University, Brazil, Hawassa University, Ethiopia and the Polytechnic University of Mozambique have conferred professor Lopes Honorary Doctorates. Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Cândido Mendes University, Brazil, Hawassa University, Ethiopia and the Polytechnic University of Mozambique. Past chair of the Lisbon University Institute (2009 to 2017). Past head of several institutions at the United Nations, including the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, UN System Staff College and UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa, (2012-2016). Has occupied prominent positions such as UN Assistant Secretary-General and Political Director for Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Was nominated as the African Union High Representative for Partnerships with Europe in 2018 and a member of the African Union Reform Team led by President Paul Kagame in 2016.

Saliem Fakir

Executive Director, African Climate Foundation

Saliem Fakir is an expert in the fields of climate, geopolitics, and finance economics. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the African Climate Foundation, the first strategic grant-making foundation on the African continent with a focus on delivering impact through support to interventions at the climate-development nexus. Prior to establishing the African Climate Foundation, Saliem served as the Head of the Policy & Futures Unit of WWF South Africa for 11 years. He has worked as a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Public Administration and Planning and an Associate Director for the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy at Stellenbosch University. Prior to that he served as Director of the World Conservation Union, South Africa (IUCN-SA) for eight years. Saliem has served on several Boards and is a prolific writer who contributes regularly to leading South African publications like Engineering News, Business Day and the Daily Maverick.

Awa Bamba

Executive Director, CAYAT

Born on 19 December 1988 in Laoudi-Bà (s/p Bondoukou) in Côte d'Ivoire, Traoré Awa BAMBA has been the General Manager of CAYAT (Yakassé-Attobrou agricultural cooperative) during the last five years, after having served as its vice-president. Traoré Awa BAMBA is a versatile, young, dynamic woman committed to the cause of women and children. Very early on, she showed her main virtue, her determination to succeed in all the missions entrusted to her. Thus, she has raised CAYAT's professionalism by improving productivity and competitiveness. She fights for women's promotion and empowerment and the protection of children and the environment, which she strongly defended during her intervention at COP15. Taoré Awa BAMBA graduated from the University Institute of Abidjan with a degree in Private Law, Corporate and Judicial Careers in 2013 and a Master II in International Humanitarian Law in 2014.

Rocky Dawuni

Musician , International Artist and Humanitarian

Two-time GRAMMY-nominated musician and activist Rocky Dawuni straddles the boundaries between Africa, the Caribbean and the U.S. to create his appealing Afro Roots sound that unites generations and cultures. A galvanizing performer, Dawuni has shared the stage with luminaries including Stevie Wonder, Ozomatli, Sauti Sol, Janelle Monae and John Legend, among many others. Named one of Africa's Top 10 global stars by CNN, he has showcased his talent at prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and The Hollywood Bowl. Rocky is a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment for Africa, a UN Foundation Ambassador for the Clean Cooking Alliance and an Ambassador of Born Free USA. Rocky was named the Global Ambassador for the World Day of African and Afrodescendant Culture, which UNESCO globally recognizes. Through these and other designations, he uses his music to highlight crucial issues facing humanity across the globe through live concerts, speaking roles, panels, youth empowerment and more. Influenced by the soulful beats of Fela Kuti and the positive messages of Bob Marley - Rocky Dawuni's infectious, sixth sing-along album, Branches of the Same Tree (Cumbancha), was nominated for a GRAMMY for “Best Reggae Album” (2016) featuring the Afro Dancehall mashup video "African Thriller.” Branches highlight Dawuni's ability to communicate a universal, uplifting message that crosses borders and reaches out to the hearts of millions. The influential “Songlines Magazine named the album one of the “Top 10 Most Essential Reggae Albums of All Time!” Rocky released his 7th album entitled "Beats of Zion" in 2019 with its striking accompanying video shot in Jamestown, Accra (Ghana) through Six Degrees Distribution. Rocky also released videos for “Wickedest Sound” featuring Ghanaian dancehall star, Stonebwoy and the gorgeous “Elevation” shot in India. Another track from the album “Let’s Go” is the theme song for Cadbury Canada’s Bicycle Factory Campaign, and the beautiful 360-degree video from the song reached over 1 million views on YouTube. “Burn One” and “Turn It Up” tracks were both licensed by the TNT hit TV surf culture drama “Animal Kingdom.” The last video for the album is the upbeat, positive Reggae track “Champion Arise,” which profoundly resonates across the globe during this difficult time. The song was named “Top Tune of the Day” on the premier National Public Radio station KCRW where he also did a fabulous live recording from Accra with his full band for their “In Residence” series. Rocky released a Ghana-focused EP, “Voice of Bunbon, Vol. 1,” which was nominated for “Best Global Music Album” for the 2022 GRAMMY Awards. Three beautiful videos were released for the EP, including “Ghost Town,” shot in Los Angeles, CA, by photographer Casey Bridges (son of legendary actor Beau Bridges), which is a poignant tribute to 2020, as well as “Beautiful People,” which was shot by rising Ghanaian cinematographer Slinghot in Rocky’s home village of Bunbon, Ghana which explores how “a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude can shift our gaze to recognizing our personal and communal power.” The most recent video for the classic Palmwine Highlife song “Woara,” which means “you or it’s you,” is sung in the local Akan dialect of Twi. It is a love song that uses its call-and-response style to express the beauty and triumph of being in love. In a time when divisive rhetoric is on the rise, and the political climate prefers to build walls over bridges, Rocky’s music is a refreshing message about global unity and a worldview of oneness. http://www.rockydawuni.com

John Ajjugo

Policy analyst , HoAREC&N - African Landscapes Dialogue

John Ajjugo is a policy analyst and conservation practitioner with experience in biodiversity conservation, protected area management, climate change and integrated landscape initiatives. John works as a Programme Coordinator for the Horn of Africa Regional Environment Centre and Network (HoA-REC&N), a network organisation based in Ethiopia and established to promote, strengthen and advocate initiatives related to environmental governance and sustainable natural resource management through community engagement and knowledge sharing across Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.

Leslie L. Durschinger

Maria Helena Semedo

Adama Tondossama

Paul Delduc

Per Jonas Partapuoli

Minister Tabaré Aguerre Lombardo

Rachmat Witoelar

Olaf Brugman

José Vilialdo Díaz

Harrison S. Karnwea