₦airaland Forum

#Africa has come a long way

Pictures from DNC 2016

At the Convention - the atmosphere is electric, the crowd galvanized; part spectacle, part theatre, but very serious democracy in action.

Picture with Board Members of the National Democratic Institute (NDI)

Great to be invited as an International Leader to this historic 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC). A watershed for girls and women. With Madeleine Albright and Zainab Bangura UN Special Envoy on Sexual Violence

Thoughts on Nigerian Economy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arS3DsTyn-8

Social safety nets

Nigeria is two years polio free. This is great, but we cannot be complacent. http://ow.ly/CMML302z6ZL #vaccineswork

Nigeria, a key driver in Africa's rising

What you #focus on grows

Investing in #Africa

We must continue to invest in our youth

Manage #Success

#Corruption always fights back

Every challenge presents an opportunity...

Gavi's Commitment

our children our future

A Better Tomorrow

The #RiseofAfrica

Investment in Early Childhood Development makes good business sense

“Ensuring every child’s well being today is the best way of securing robust economies tomorrow. Currently, Africa and Asia lose 11% of their GDP every year because of malnutrition, a preventable condition. We know that investing in early years interventions across health, wellbeing and learning will allow our children to grow, learn, and earn to their full potential. Our economies depend on our children and we must not ignore the importance of giving them a healthy and equitable start in life.”

- Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Board Chair, GAVI
http://news.trust.org/item/20160630181006-vbczh/

African growth is not a fluke: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at TEDSummit 2016

Across Africa, the rocketship growth of the late 2000s has slowed — but it’s not over, says Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. She lays out a plan to get back on track. [Photo by Bret Hartman/TED].

Many nations of Africa have suffered so many misfortunes for so long — poverty, diseases, famines, wars — that it sounds refreshing and even strange to hear someone talk about the day Africa won’t need aid from other countries. Other cultures around the world have been so conditioned to photos of displaced or malnourished Africans that the proposition of a self-reliant Africa sounds almost unreal.

But when that person making the proposition is the well-known economist (and two-term Finance Minister of Nigeria) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, you know that this is no idle speculation. Refreshingly candid and straightforward, she envisions a day not too far off that the nations of Africa will be able to stabilize their governments, economies and natural resources to ensure the kind of long, peaceful continuums that are so crucial to productive human endeavour, happiness and progress. As an example of positive movement, Okonjo-Iweala points to the special insurance agency, African Risk Capacity, created by a coalition of 32 African nations dedicated to helping nations through weather-based emergencies like droughts and flood so they don’t have to ask for outside aid.

“These are the kind of stories of an Africa ready to take responsibility for itself and look for solutions for its own problems,” she says.

At the same time, Okonjo-Iweala recognizes that it won’t be easy. After she enumerates the things Africa has done right — managing economies and environments better, keeping debt levels lower, immunizing and eduction children better, deploying technology wider, decreasing conflicts — she ticks off a list of what Africa has done wrong. They include: not creating enough jobs for young people, not creating high-quality jobs, allowing income inequality to increase, allowing the number of people in poverty to increase, not investing in infrastructure, not trading between African countries enough, and not battling corruption enough.

Even so, Okonjo-Iweala’s optimism is undimmed — as is her strong desire for Africa to achieve its goals as much by self-reliance as possible. Corrupt enemies of her efforts in even went so far as to kidnap her mother. “In our countries, nobody is going to fight corruption for us but us,” says Okonjo-Iweala. “The rise of Africa narrative is not a fluke, it’s a trend. If we can unleash the power of our youth, our women — the trend is clear, Africa will continue to rise.”

Courtesy of Tedx Blog

http://www.lifespaceconnect.com/african-growth-is-not-a-fluke-ngozi-okonjo-iweala-at-tedsummit-2016/

BUSINESS & CLIMATE SUMMIT 2016
WATCH LIVE: All sessions taking place in THE GREAT HALL will be streamed live here
http://www.businessclimatesummit.com/watch-live-great-hall/

With Horst Kohler, Former President of Germany at AfDB Annual Meetings, Lusaka

With Dr. Kofi Annan, Former Secretary General of the UN

Gavi Board makes decisions on malaria vaccine pilots, health systems, and supply and procurement strategy vaccine pilot commitment:

At her first Board meeting, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala calls on funders to match Gavi’s proposed malaria vaccine pilot commitment

Geneva, 23 June 2016 – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is ready to play a role in supporting WHO’s malaria vaccine pilots. The decision, taken today by the Gavi Board, would see up to US$ 27.5 million of support for the first phase of the pilots, provided other organisations come forward to match the Vaccine Alliance’s commitment.

The pilots will provide real-world insight into how the RTS,S malaria vaccine, developed by GSK, could be implemented in Africa, given that three of the four doses of the vaccine will be given outside the normal schedule for childhood vaccinations. They also will generate further evidence on the vaccine’s potential to reduce the death toll from malaria, which claims almost 440,000 lives every year.

WHO is currently finalising the design of the pilots and will select three African locations to begin implementation, as recommended jointly by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) and the Malaria Policy Advisory Committee (MPAC).

“Gavi is ready to play its part in helping the world to understand the opportunities and challenges of implementing the world’s first malaria vaccine in real life settings,” said Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of the Gavi Board. “Malaria’s heavy burden on Africa means it is vital that we understand the impact of this vaccine in communities, as was so powerfully articulated by the African Ministers of Health represented at the Board. We call on others to come forward with sufficient funding to enable the pilots to proceed.”

“The evidence we have so far suggests a malaria vaccine could have a significant impact in reducing malaria mortality in Africa,” said Dr Seth Berkley, Gavi CEO. “RTS,S demonstrated 39% efficacy against clinical malaria in phase III trials but measuring the vaccine’s impact in real life settings is what will ultimately help the health community assess the value of this vaccine in the fight against malaria along with other existing interventions.”

“For decades, a malaria vaccine has been one of the holy grails of modern medicine,” said Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme. “Gavi’s pledge will help us fund the pilot deployment of a first-generation malaria vaccine that has the potential to save tens of thousands of lives in Africa.”

The RTS,S malaria vaccine received a positive scientific opinion from the European Medicines Agency in 2015 and WHO prequalification of the vaccine is expected before the start of the pilots. RTS,S prevented 39% of malaria cases in children vaccinated with four doses during trials in Africa, when added to existing malaria control and prevention tools. Models predict that the vaccine could be highly impactful, saving one life for every 200 children vaccinated.

The Board underlined the importance of a collaborative approach to the pilots and the need for other funders to come forward to fill the remaining funding requirements. The Board also stressed that today’s decision should not be considered as an indication of future Gavi funding for malaria vaccine, or for future similar pilot schemes for other vaccines, and the importance of regular reporting as the trials progress.

Today’s decision relates to the first phase of the pilot, running from 2017 to 2020. Any funding request for phase two of the pilots would require Gavi Board approval. If the two-phase pilot is successful and full-scale implementation is recommended by WHO, a new investment case would be put before the Gavi Board for a decision on whether to finance the broader rollout of the vaccine in Africa.
Vaccine Alliance 2016-2020 strategy implementation

The Gavi Board also approved two critical elements of Gavi’s approach towards delivering on the Vaccine Alliance’s 2016 to 2020 strategy.

The first, the Supply and Procurement Strategy, will help foster healthy markets for vaccines and other immunisation-related products that will benefit Gavi-supported countries and those who transition from Gavi support. Building on Gavi’s experience and success over the past 15 years, including a 43% reduction in the cost of a fully immunising a child with pentavalent, pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines during the 2011 to 2015 Gavi strategic period, the strategy takes a long-term approach towards shaping markets, drawing on the expertise of a more diverse group of partners and engaging with an expanded group of manufacturers.

The Supply and Procurement Strategy also explicitly defines a greater role for Gavi in product innovation. By convening and coordinating partners including manufacturers, product development partnerships, and technical experts, Gavi will create a platform to share and meet country needs, set innovation priorities, and inform manufacturers’ investment decisions.

Secondly, the Board approved a new framework for Gavi’s financial support for countries. The Health System and Immunisation Strengthening Support framework will ensure that Gavi’s investments are more aligned and targeted to help countries reach children who are currently missing out on essential vaccines. Gavi’s HSIS support is part of the Vaccine Alliance’s commitment to universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The new framework also better aligns Gavi support with national plans and introduces greater flexibility to enable countries to adjust their programmes in response to new evidence. This is coupled with integrated planning and budgeting for all financial support, to increase efficiency and reduce transaction costs for countries.

http://ow.ly/QoL9301z0qs

Scenes at the World Economic Forum, Geneva

With Gavi Civil Society Constituency. Thank you for your commitment and determination. Together we can reach #everychild with vaccines!

The Vaccine Alliance: GAVI Board Chair, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan. Both organizations working together to step up outbreak response including yellow fever

Delighted to be at #WEF in #Geneva, talking about #leadership and what it takes to bring about positive change for people.

Leading is about taking the right decision, even when it’s painful. It’s about respecting those following you.

Future leaders matter! Discussing leadership issues with future leaders at the World Economic Forum, Geneva

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEGzXDG3K00&feature=youtu.be

Celebrating birthday, visiting children being assisted by the Oke Peace and Light Foundation at Karonmagaji Village School, Abuja.