Chief Executive Officer for the Africa Union Development Agency- New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA- NEPAD) @NEPAD_Agency
Joined February 2013
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Today I met with H.E. Ambassador @SGatti_IT, Director General for Development Cooperation, Italy, to reflect on our Food Corridor Investment Project — an initiative that deliberately links agriculture, climate, trade, and infrastructure into a single, coherent investment agenda.
Africa's food security challenge has never been about a shortage of ideas or potential. It is about connecting them — aligning the policies and the capital that move food from farm to market, that build climate resilience into our value chains, and that turn the AfCFTA's promise into functioning regional corridors.
We are grateful to the Government of Italy for its continued partnership and shared commitment to a prosperous, food-secure, and integrated Africa — anchored in the aspirations of Agenda 2063.
🌍🇮🇹 #AUDANEPAD #Agenda2063 #FoodSecurity #AfricaItaly #DevelopmentCooperation #AfCFTA
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Nardos BEKELE-THOMAS retweeted
Jun 3
🌍 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐔𝐏 🤝
As the #2026FIFAWorldCup approaches, a powerful wave of unity sweeps across Africa. We stand together, not just as fans, but as one continent, rallying behind all our teams on the global stage. This moment transcends mere competition; it is a profound expression of honour, shared identity, and continental pride.
When an African nation triumphs, the entire continent celebrates. Our teams carry the hopes and dreams of millions, playing not just for themselves, but for all of us across Africa. This same indomitable spirit of unity and collective success is the very essence of our AUDA-NEPAD African Centre for Sports and Recreation (ACSAR). As a strategic engine for Agenda 2063, ACSAR champions sport as a vital catalyst for development, fostering social cohesion, empowering our youth, and driving deeper African integration.
From the electrifying football pitch to the inspiring athletics track, and within our vibrant communities, sport possesses an unparalleled power to bring Africans together. It inspires a shared vision for a prosperous and integrated continent. ACSAR, as a dynamic working vehicle, is dedicated to channeling capital, innovative ideas, and impactful partnerships into real economic and social development across Africa. ❤️⚽
@AU_ECOSOCC @UNWTO @afreximbank
@AfDB_Group @UNESCO @ssaBritish
@_AfricanUnion @OAFLAD @PBebia @FIFAWorldCup @FIFAcom @CAF_Online @Leaders_Icons @nardosbthomas
@SymerreGrey @Nyiko_Chulu
#OneAfrica #WorldCup2026
#AfricanFootball #ACSAR #AUDA_NEPAD #SportForDevelopment
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It was a distinct honour to welcome Ambassador Reyad Al Akbari, Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States, who paid a courtesy call to our office this week.
We were privileged to engage in a cordial and constructive exchange, reflecting the spirit of mutual respect and shared purpose that underpins our relationship.
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At the Cambridge Africa Together Conference 2026, hosted at the Cambridge Union under the theme “Africa in the Age of Disruption,” I was pleased to participate in the expert panel on “Beyond Debt and Dependence: Africa’s Path to Development and Industrial Transformation.”
Africa is confronting a difficult financing reality: rising debt-service pressures, declining concessional flows, reduced official development assistance, and a changing global development finance architecture. But this moment must not be understood only as a crisis. It is also a moment of strategic choice.
For too long, Africa’s development has been shaped by external financing, external markets, and external definitions of value. The task before us is to move beyond dependence and build an economic model anchored in productive capacity, domestic resource mobilisation, regional integration, and industrial transformation.
We must strengthen African financial institutions. We must use sovereign capital more strategically. We must deepen domestic resource mobilisation. We must insist on value addition. And we must build institutions capable of turning ambition into implementation.
The disruption we face is real. But it can become a catalyst — if we choose agency over dependence, production over extraction, and transformation over survival.
Africa’s future will not be given to us. It must be built.
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Congratulations to @AfDBPresident Dr Sidi Ould Tah and the Bank’s leadership team for a highly successful 2026 Annual Meetings in Brazzaville. With more than 5,000 delegates, policymakers, investors and development leaders in attendance, the message was unmistakable: Africa’s transformation requires financing at scale, driven increasingly by Africa’s own resources. #AfDBAM2026
Africa cannot industrialise on borrowed ambition. The continent faces an infrastructure financing gap of up to $170 billion annually, while energy, logistics and manufacturing investments remain below required levels. Stronger domestic resource mobilisation and bankable projects are essential to unlock growth.
Domestic resources are not only taxes. Africa’s pension funds manage over $500 billion in assets, while insurance funds, sovereign wealth funds, savings, local banks and capital markets hold significant untapped potential. The challenge is converting this liquidity into long-term productive investment.
This requires reforms at national and regional levels: stronger financial regulation, deeper bond and equity markets, better credit enhancement mechanisms, harmonised rules, transparent PPP frameworks and regional investment platforms that can reduce risk and crowd in billions in private capital.
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Industrialisation must guide infrastructure. Africa’s population is projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, making strategic investments in roads, ports, rail, energy systems and digital networks critical for building competitive value chains and expanding intra-African trade.
Regional integration is therefore not optional. Despite progress, only 4 AU Member States have ratified the AU Free Movement Protocol. Accelerating adoption and implementation of its three pillars—free movement of persons, right of residence and right of establishment—is vital.
Free movement is economic infrastructure. Intra-African trade currently accounts for only about 15% of total African trade, compared to nearly 60% in Asia and 70% in Europe. Greater mobility can unlock AfCFTA opportunities, boost productivity and increase cross-border investment.
AUDA-NEPAD is working closely with AfDB to advance this agenda by supporting RECs and strengthening their capacity to prepare and manage regional integration projects across infrastructure, energy, industrialisation and trade facilitation—sectors that drive millions of jobs.
The New African Financial Architecture—NAFA/NAFAD—is key because it seeks to reorganise how African capital, risk, guarantees and institutions work together. With African institutional assets estimated at over $1 trillion, the opportunity for systemic capital mobilisation is enormous.
AUDA-NEPAD will continue supporting NAFA/NAFAD through project preparation, REC capacity-building, regional corridor development, PIDA-aligned infrastructure, energy market integration and implementation support to accelerate Africa’s industrial transformation and economic growth. #AfricaRising #AfCFTA
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I held a productive meeting with the @commonwealthsec Secretary-General, Hon. @AyorkorBotchwey, to advance the growing partnership between our two institutions in service of Africa's development.
This collaboration spans the African Commonwealth member states and reinforces AUDA-NEPAD's mandate to coordinate development across the continent in line with Agenda 2063.
As Africa's premier development agency, we look forward to showcasing this work — and the impact of our partners — directly to Africa's Heads of State and Government.
I am grateful to the Secretary-General for the openness and shared purpose that defined our discussions, and I look forward to formalising this partnership so we can move from intention to delivery.
When it comes to Africa's prosperity and resilience, partnership is not optional — it is the way forward.
#AUDANEPAD #Commonwealth #Agenda2063 #AfricasDevelopment
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Peace, security, and development are not isolated agendas — they are deeply interconnected pillars upon which the future of our continent rests.
It was a privilege to meet with His Excellency Maurice Makoloo, High Commissioner of Kenya to the United Kingdom, for a substantive discussion centred on these three critical themes. Kenya's role as a regional anchor in East Africa, and its longstanding commitment to peace and stability, makes this partnership particularly significant.
Our conversation explored the intersection of security frameworks and sustainable development, the importance of regional cooperation in addressing conflict, and the pathways through which investment and governance reform can create the conditions for lasting peace.
We look forward to continuing this important conversation and identifying concrete areas for collaboration.
#Kenya #Diplomacy #PeaceAndSecurity #Development #Africa #InternationalRelations #AfricaRising
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Today I had the honour of sharing an informal tea with my dear brother, Ambassador @Swelamiat
As always, our conversation ranged far and wide — touching on the state of the continent, the role of diplomacy in unlocking Africa's potential, and the kind of long-term thinking that transcends political cycles.
In a world that moves fast and often prioritises transactions over relationships, it is the bonds forged over time — built on mutual respect, shared vision, and genuine friendship — that ultimately drive meaningful and lasting change.
Grateful for the brother, the diplomat, and the visionary.
#Africa #Diplomacy #Leadership #Partnership #AfricaRising
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I was pleased to meet with Chantelé Carrington, CEO of Invest Africa, to discuss strategic collaboration and investment across the continent.
What stood out most in our discussion was the deliberate shift away from development aid dependency — towards investment-led growth, bankable projects, and private sector integration that puts Africa firmly in the driving seat.
The appetite for investment in Africa has never been stronger. What's needed now is coordination, conviction, and the right partners at the table. We're proud to be part of that conversation.
#InvestAfrica #AfricaInvestment #Infrastructure #Agriculture #Industrialisation #PrivateSector #EconomicDevelopment #AfricaRising #StrategicPartnership #TradeAfrica
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Nardos BEKELE-THOMAS retweeted
May 22
From Vision to Action: AUDA-NEPAD at ATC 2026
The journey of African development reached a pivotal milestone in 2001 with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). In 2018, this vision evolved into the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD)—the AU’s first dedicated agency for driving Agenda 2063.
Our mission is clear: to forge a self-reliant and prosperous continent through inclusive, sustainable development. As our CEO, Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, @nardosbthomas, states:
“From Vision to Action: The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) is Forging Africa’s Future!”
In an era defined by global disruption, Africa’s path is a strategic choice. We are prioritizing foresight planning, domestic resource mobilization, and institutional integrity to secure true economic independence. By 2040, our targets for infrastructure and energy sufficiency will require the collective investment and innovation of the entire continent.
Today and tomorrow, May 23rd, 2026, We will join the Cambridge Africa Together Conference (ATC) at The Cambridge Union. Alongside H.E. Julius Maada Bio, @julius_maadabio, President of Sierra Leone and Mr. Armando Manuel, @fsdea_angola of the Angola’s Sovereign Wealth
Fund, we deliberated and will continue to discuss on the practical steps to transform these ambitious goals into reality.
Join us in Cambridge to engage in the dialogue defining Africa’s global future.
🔗 Register Now: africansocietycambridge.co.u…
#Agenda2063 #ATC2026 #AfricaRising #SelfReliance #EconomicIndependence #AfricanDevelopment #NardosBekeleThomas #FutureOfAfrica #GlobalLeadership
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Nardos BEKELE-THOMAS retweeted
May 21
The South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile and the former President Thabo Mbeki at the NEPAD@25 breakfast. #sabcnews
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Nardos BEKELE-THOMAS retweeted
May 21
This morning, I will deliver a keynote address at the NEPAD @ 25 Business Breakfast held at the
Marriott Hotel, Century City, Cape Town.
This marks the start of a year-long continent-wide commemoration of Africa's foremost development agency.
#NEPAD25
#PaulMashatile
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Nardos BEKELE-THOMAS retweeted
May 22
We are proud to announce that our CEO, H.E. Mrs @nardosbthomas, will be speaking at the Cambridge Africa Together Conference 2026!
Join us for Africa in the Age of Disruption, a two-day conference bringing together Africa's foremost leaders, innovators, and changemakers.
📍 The Cambridge Union, Cambridge, UK
📅 22–23 May 2026
H.E. Mrs Bekele-Thomas will join an expert panel on "Beyond Debt and Dependence: Africa's Path to Development and Industrial Transformation", a conversation that couldn't be more timely.
🔗 africansocietycambridge.co.u…
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Nardos BEKELE-THOMAS retweeted
May 22
✨ Celebrating 25 Years of African Renaissance! ✨
Our visionary CEO, @nardosbthomas recently sat down with Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, @MbuyiseniNdlozi of the African Renaissance Podcast for a truly inspiring MasterClass! They unpacked the incredible journey of our institution, from its inception to its silver jubilee, highlighting monumental successes and charting an exciting course for the future.
Over the past quarter-century, we’ve witnessed a transformation driven by a profound philosophy of African self-reliance. From mobilizing $86 billion for critical infrastructure projects to harmonizing regulatory frameworks that led to the African Medicines Agency (AMA) @AU_AMA_, our impact resonates across the continent. Our CEO’s consultative leadership, engaging directly with all 55 member states, has fostered a mind shift towards trusting and investing in our own institutions.
Looking ahead, the focus is on implementing the second 10-year plan of Agenda 2063, closing a $3.3 trillion funding gap by unlocking domestic capital, and prioritizing industrialization, especially in the pharmaceutical sector. We are committed to fostering a “Team Africa” integration, harmonizing frameworks across all Regional Economic Communities.
Join us in celebrating our past achievements and looking forward to a future where Africa finances its own development and thrives! Watch the episode here, youtu.be/GEnCOtUZ-5A?si=iK1u….
@EU_Commission @WorldBankGroup @noradno @Sida @_AfricanUnion @AECID_es @giz_gmbh @cidcaofficial @AfDB_Group @afreximbank @jica_direct_en
@SADC_News @ecowas_cedeao @jumuiya @COMESA_HQ @amibiaka @SymerreGrey @EstherineF
#AfricanRenaissance #SilverJubilee #Leadership #FutureOfAfrica #Innovation #Development
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Nardos BEKELE-THOMAS retweeted
May 21
25 years ago, African leaders chose to take responsibility, not to wait for the world to develop Africa, but to build a plan of their own. That decision became NEPAD.
Today, we ask what must come next.
▶️ Watch our CEO, @nardosbthomas opening address at the AUDA-NEPAD at 25 High-Level Business Breakfast.
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Nardos BEKELE-THOMAS retweeted
May 21
This morning in Cape Town, we marked 25 years of AUDA-NEPAD with the @TMFoundation_ and @unisa at a High-Level Business Breakfast that brought together government, business, and development finance institutions.
Deputy President of South Africa, @PMashatile delivered the keynote and Former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, who helped build this institution, closed the session with reflections on where AUDA-NEPAD started and where it needs to go.
25 years in, AUDA-NEPAD has connected electricity grids across six East and Central African countries, reaching nearly 200,000 people. One-Stop Border Posts have cut crossing times by up to 98 percent in some corridors. African-owned innovations have been scaled across 36 countries, reaching 48 million people annually. Medicine registration timelines in the East African Community have been cut from up to three years to under twelve months.
CEO, @nardosbthomas was clear about what the next phase requires. "If we want African institutions, we must fund them. If we want infrastructure, we must prepare and finance it differently. If we want industrialisation, we must invest in production."
#AfricaDay2026
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Nardos BEKELE-THOMAS retweeted
May 15
Our CEO, @nardosbthomas spoke to @SABCNews TV News on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of AUDA-NEPAD.
She highlighted the importance of Africa continuing to fund its own developmental programmes, underscoring the agency's founding principle of African ownership and self-determination.
As AUDA-NEPAD marks this milestone, the continent's challenges remain significant, including infrastructure gaps, conflict, and climate change. Twenty-five years on, the agency remains committed to driving sustainable development across the continent.
youtube.com/watch?v=QbyfRG2n…
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