CCA Hosts H.E. Nardos Bekele-Thomas

On September 15, CCA hosted H.E. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, who was appointment as the new Chief Executive Officer of AUDA-NEPAD and was endorsed by the African Union Heads of State and Government during the Thirty-Fifth Ordinary Session of the African Union in February 2022. She is the first woman to lead the African Union’s development agency.H.E. Bekele-Thomas discussed her agency’s “Energize Africa” initiative to create innovation hubs across Africa to help foster ingenuity from the youth and provide a space for creativity that will move Africa forward. She also shared the need to focus on health to increase capacity and provide resources in and for Africa.“Building the supply and value chain is critical and AUDA works in tandem with the AfCFTA,” says Bekele-Thomas. The organization is also partnering with the World Bank to assist with implementing food securities on the continent.AUDA-NEPAD plans to expand and open regional offices in each African country to deliver greater results.