The African Development Institute will host Her Excellency, Graca Machel as the Special Guest Speaker of the institute’s Eminent Speakers’ Lecture Series on Friday, 16 November 2018. The lecture will begin at 2.15 pm in the Babacar N’diaye Auditorium of the African Development Bank headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

Machel will speak on the topic: “Educating the Girl Child, Empowering Women, and Enhancing Female Entrepreneurship in Africa.”

A former freedom fighter and international advocate for the rights of women and children, Machel is Chair of the Graca Machel Trust. Founded in 2010, the Graça Machel Trust focuses on advocating for women’s economic and financial empowerment, food security and nutrition, education for all, as well as good governance.

Honored with an honorary British Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997 for her humanitarian work, Machel was also the first Education and Culture Minister of Mozambique, following the country’s independence in 1975. She is the widow of the former South African President Nelson Mandela and former Mozambican President Samora Machel.

Dame Graça Machel serves on the board of several international organizations including The Elders, The African Leadership Forum, the International Crisis Group, and the Graca Machel Trust that works across Africa on protecting the rights of women and children. She is the recipient of the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger, The Nansen Medal for her service to the cause of child refugees, The Africare Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award and The Council of Europe’s North-South Prize, among others.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, will deliver the Welcome Remarks at this 22nd edition of the Eminent Speakers’ Lecture Series (formerly called the Eminent Speakers’ Seminar). Dr. Celestin Monga, Chief Economist and Vice President for Economic Governance & Knowledge Management at the Bank will give the closing remarks.

The African Development Institute, a major force in supporting African leaders’ needs for evidence-based policy guidance, training, capacity building, and policy dialogue to achieve inclusive development in Africa, uses the Eminent Speakers’ Seminar series, to share insights, and dialogue on development challenges in Africa.

About 20 eminent persons have delivered thought provoking lectures in previous editions of the Seminar. The list includes former Heads of States, Nobel Laureates, distinguished academics and professionals. A range of current African and global development topics have been covered in the Eminent Speakers Lecture series, including economics, finance, regional integration, human development, and the environment.

About the African Development Bank Group

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 34 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.