Speakers
Hajjar is President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB); a multilateral development bank that fosters the economic development and social progress of 57 member countries and Muslim communities. Dr. Hajjar served as Minister of Hajj and the Minister of Culture and Information in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He has been active in the promotion of human rights and was the founder of the Saudi National Society for Human Rights. He has a PhD in Economics from Loughborough University. H.E.
President Macky Sall President of the Republic of Senegal President Macky Sall was elected fourth President of the Republic of Senegal in March of 2012, he took office on April 2, 2012. President Macky Sall also holds the position of Chairperson of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee. President Sall was Prime Minister for three years from 2004 to 2007, thus becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister at that time under the President.
Initially little-known, he made his mark from his first keynote speech addressing the leaders of the opposition to introduce his general policy. Mr. Sall then proceeded to work on the implementation of State projects that had been shelved: highways, Dakar’s “Corniche” (coastal line of the Capital), the new airport, etc.
Additionally, as Chief of Cabinet he ran the campaign for the President’s reelection in 2007. President Macky Sall is also a member of several national and international associations of geologists and geophysicists, having trained as a geological engineer and geophysicist at the Institute of Earth Sciences of Dakar (IST), and the National School for Petroleum and Engines (ENSPM) of the French Petroleum Institute of Paris (IFP). Dr.
Hayat Sindi Chief Advisor to the President, Science, Technology and Innovation, Islamic Development Bank Dr. Hayat is a leading biotechnologist and a champion of science and technology in the Middle East. In 1995, she became the first woman from the Gulf to obtain a Ph.D. in biotechnology from Cambridge.
With a team from Harvard, she co- founded Diagnostics For All to create affordable diagnostic devices for people in impoverished regions. She has launched the i2 Institute for Imagination and Ingenuity to encourage innovation among young scientists, technologists and engineers. Dr.
Sindi is a Goodwill Ambassador for Sciences at UNESCO; one of 25 global experts selected by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to the UN Scientific Advisory Board; and a member of the Ten Members Group to support the technological facilitation mechanism (TFM) for the SDGs. Forest Whitaker Founder and CEO, Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative Forest Whitaker, artist and social activist, is the founder and CEO of the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI), whose mission is to empower young women and men to become leaders, peacemakers and entrepreneurs in their communities through a unique conflict resolution and peace building program, combined with innovative use of technology and skills building. Mr Whitaker is also the UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, and a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Advocacy Group.
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In 2014, he started collaborating with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, a topic on which he was invited to speak before the Security Council in September of that year. Whitaker is also one of Hollywood’s most accomplished and versatile figures, having received the 2007 Academy Award for Best Actor. Through WPDI, he has developed the Youth Peacemaker Network, a global peacebuilding social network with hubs in South Sudan, South Africa, Uganda, and Mexico.
He and WPDI are committed to providing educational tools and economic opportunities to young women and men in regions touched by violence and armed conflict. Amadou Hott Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, Government of Senegal Amadou Hott, has over twenty years of experience in the private sector that spans across structured finance, investment banking, infrastructure investments and development of integrated energy solutions. Before his appointment as the Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, Gov. of Senegal, Amadou Hott worked at the African Development Bank where he was the Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth at the African Development Bank.
He also worked as Director for Africa for the Millennium Finance Corporation, where he was responsible for project finance transactions covering energy, mining, ICT and banking, etc. in Africa and the Middle East. As well as serving as the Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, Mr Hott is a Lecturer at the University Gaston Berger of Saint Louis, Senegal. He is Founder of FONSIS (Sovereign Wealth Fund of Senegal for Strategic Investments) and Co-Founder of the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Senegal, where he is spearheading major infrastructure investments, including energy projects and renewable energy and Afribridge Capital, an advisory and Investment Company, where advises on power, energy, information, communications and technologies, mining and banking sectors.
Bukky Shonibare Founder, Girl Child Africa, Coordinator of #BringBackOurGirls Movement & #ChurchMeToo Movement Bukky Shonibare is the Founder of Girl Child Africa, Coordinator of #ChurchMeToo movement, and one of the leaders of the #BringBackOurGirls movement in Nigeria. She is a peace and security expert, and a human rights advocate with focus on women and girls. Bukky hold a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) with First Class Honours, B.Sc in Business Administration (First Class), and Master’s in Managing Peace and Security in Africa (A).
She also hold dual Certificates in Journalism, and Creative Writing from the London School of Journalism; and dual Certificates in Social Sector Management, and Entrepreneurial Management from the Pan Atlantic University, Nigeria. Bukky has received some awards and recognitions, including being named a ‘Nigerian Star’ by the US Embassy in Nigeria (May 2019), Glazia’s Person of the Year in the Philanthropy and Advocacy category (January 2018), one of the 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria (March 2018), and one of Quartz Africa’s Innovators at the World Economic Forum (May 2017). Bukky is a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow, an initiative of the United States Department of States.
Elvis Eze Malaria and Health Systems Strengthening Expert, Malaria No More UK Elvis Eze grew up in Nigeria and started out his career as a medical doctor at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. He has since continued his clinical practice in London most recently working as an emergency medicine doctor within the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS). Elvis also has experience in global health understudying health systems and providing technical support through his work at the Commonwealth Secretariat.
He shares his varied experiences and engages at important platforms to mobilise resources to end Malaria, notably delivering the call to action at the 2018 Malaria summit in London during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. This year, Elvis launched the voice petition with David Beckham to support the successful replenishment of the Global Fund for HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria. He was most recently recognised and featured by Bill Gates for his ongoing work on ending malaria.
He is currently focused on malaria elimination and health systems strengthening working on initiatives with Malaria No More UK, Results
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