Nardos Bekele-Thomas

Her Excellency Mrs Bekele-Thomas is the first woman to lead the African Union’s Development Agency. She was unanimously endorsed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AUDA-NEPAD by the African Union Heads of State and Government during the Thirty-Fifth Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit in February 2022. As CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, Mrs Bekele-Thomas is mandated to inter-alia, coordinate development programs across the continent, mobilize requisite resources, implement Vision 2063 and its priority programs, and provide knowledge-driven and evidenced-based advisory services to Member States. Mrs Bekele-Thomas brings nearly 40 years of experience and a visionary leadership style characterized by her robust commitment to advancing Africa’s development agenda. Her tenure is notably focused on socio-economic transformation and the meticulous implementation of Agenda 2063’s key initiatives, which are integral to fostering sustainable development across the continent.