The appointment of the Ethiopian has been approved by the African Union Heads of State Summit, which took place from 5 to 6 February in Addis Ababa. Nardos Bekele-Thomas will replace Dr Ibrahim Mayaki of Niger, the long-time CEO of AUDA-Nepad.
The New Partnership for Africa’s Development, based in Midrand, South Africa, aims to promote accelerated growth and sustainable development, eradicate widespread and extreme poverty, and end Africa’s marginalisation in the globalisation process. At the 31st Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Nouakchott, Mauritania, in June 2018, it was decided to transform the NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency into the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD). The creation of AUDA-NEPAD is part of the overall reforms aimed at improving the impact and operational effectiveness of the African Union. Thus, AUDA-NEPAD’s mandate is to: coordinate and implement regional and continental priority projects to promote regional integration for the accelerated achievement of Agenda 2063; build the capacity of African Union member states and regional bodies; provide knowledge-based advisory support; undertake the full range of resource mobilisation; and serve as the continent’s technical interface with all African development stakeholders and development partners.
Serving Africa’s development for nearly 40 years
Nardos Bekele-Thomas has influenced the growth and development of the African continent for nearly 40 years, holding senior positions with the governments of multiple nations and the United Nations (UN). Since May 2019, she has been the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in South Africa. Resident coordinators are the backbone of the UN’s development entities, providing strength and support while fortifying the 2030 Agenda, an action plan for people, planet and prosperity. This agenda aims to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development worldwide by 2030, ensuring that no one is left behind.
High-level advisory services
In her various roles, past and present, Nardos Bekele-Thomas has been responsible for providing and coordinating high-level social, political and economic policy advice to government authorities at national and local levels, as well as to key actors in the private sector and civil society. Her work, she explains on her Linkedin account, encompasses a multitude of tasks, including, but not limited to, policy dialogue at the highest level of national governance, strategic consultations between the public and private sectors, resource mobilisation, and the development and implementation of pro-poor policies and programmes.
Senior Director of the Office of the UN Secretary General
From 2016 to 2017, Nardos Bekele-Thomas served as the Senior Director of the Office of the UN Secretary-General. In this position, she was responsible for the overall management of the Office of the Secretary-General, the Office of the Chef de Cabinet and the Deputy Secretary-General. Previously, she served as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Kenya and as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Benin from November 2008 to September 2013.
Recognised for her role in the reform of the Kenyan constitution
Prior to this, Nardos Bekele-Thomas worked for over four years in Kenya as UNDP Country Director/Deputy Resident Representative, responsible for formulating and implementing pro-poor and transformative policies and strategies as part of UNDP’s programme of assistance in Kenya. For example, she is recognised for her role in the reform of the Kenyan constitution. In addition, through the convening power of the UN, Nardos Bekele-Thomas brought civil society and the private sector to the table with political parties to find a local solution to Kenya’s 2007-2008 electoral violence. His work in preventive peace building and conflict transformation has earned him recognition and peace awards from many Kenyan institutions.
Several awards and accolades
In addition, Nardos Bekele-Thomas is a member of the Panel of Eminent African Women and has received the prestigious AU/DAF Woman of Excellence Award 2015 alongside former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and former Malawian President Joyce Banda. She was also honoured in 2007 as the recipient of the Living Legend Achiever’s Award, in recognition of her service and leadership in promoting sustainable human development around the world, particularly in Africa.
Nardos Bekele-Thomas holds a Master’s degree and a PhD candidate certificate in Economic Development, Monetary Economics and Econometrics from New York University (NYU). She also holds a B.A. in Economic Development, Econometrics and Monetary Economics from Addis Ababa University.
Author of several articles and monographs, Nardos Bekele-Thomas speaks Amharic, French and English.
