Discussing civic engagement and citizen action as a central part of evaluation techniques with David de Ferranti and Daniel Kaufman at the World Bank Independent Evaluation Group conference in partnership with @3ieNews.

In the background a wonderful example of citizen engagement, on erosion control works linking my village Umuda Isingwu with Umugbokwo, Umuoka and Osa in Abia state Nigeria. Thumbs up for Abia state engagement in this project!

Citizen action through long established age grade groups and Umuda Development Union engaged the World Bank project team for NEWMAP and got beneficial changes made, thanks to good listening by the World Bank Africa team @HafezGhanem_WB and task team leaders led by Amos Abu and team members

With Prof Larry Summers, Ministers of Health of Myanmar, Ethiopia, Chad and Congo and Seth Berkley at the Gavi Board retreat in Ottawa discussing future strategy for the Alliance.

Larry was his usual brilliant provocative self-urging thinking out of the box!

In Washington with two of Nigeria’s very talented and creative artistes Omoni Oboli award-winning actress and filmmaker, and Audu Maikori CEO Chocolate City at a screening of Oboli’s Wings of a Dove a deeply moving feature on child brides and young girls quest for education in parts of Nigeria and West Africa.

A must see for policymakers and international advocates who want to make change!

What a discouraging few days of man-made and natural disasters in the World. From the Ethiopian airlines crash to the terrible terrorist attack in New Zealand to wanton deaths from clashes of herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria. And now the thousands impacted by the cyclone in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in those countries and to their governments #Mozambique, #Malawi, #Zimbabwe.

Proud that my father, Prof Chukwuka Okonjo the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, and my mother, Prof Kamene Okonjo, exercised their right to vote at ages 90 and 88 respectively. The Obi enjoined all Nigerians to be peaceful saying:

“The reports of pockets of violence in parts of the country are worrisome and unacceptable. As citizens of one nation, we need to tolerate one another irrespective of our diverse political interests.

“Nigeria is our only country and we have a responsibility to make it a peaceful and prosperous nation. Great countries all over the world were built by patriotic citizens who believe in the unity of their nation. No meaningful development can be achieved in an atmosphere of violence and political bitterness.

“We are all Nigerians and what should be uppermost in our minds is the progress and greatness of our nation. This greatness can only be achieved when we live together in peace and unity without minding our political differences. Today, I have come to cast my vote because I believe in the Nigerian project. I want a united Nigeria where every citizen would have a sense of belonging.

“As a nation, we want a leader that will have the interest of our nation at heart. My concern is for a better Nigeria. Let us eschew political bitterness and remember that Nigeria is our only country and we have a responsibility to make it peaceful for all.”

Credit: https://nnn.com.ng/politics/pa-chukwuma-okonjo-votes-in-ogwashi-uku-calls-for-political-tolerance/

My attention has been drawn to the re-circulation of an earlier debunked fake audio recording and poor imitation of my voice making certain claims about Nigeria and the presidency.

Please ignore it and other such releases that may be pushed out there in my name.

Thank you.
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/05/20/okonjo-iweala-disclaims-fake-audio-recording-in-circulation/amp/

Discussing Disaster Risk Management for African countries with the African Risk Capacity Board in Accra.

We celebrate Ghana’s signing of a new program of work with ARC, Ghana’s calibration and use of the Africa Risk View model to predict its own weather based events and gain insights into droughts that might affect agriculture, Ghana’s piloting of the flood insurance model. Looking forward to the Government of Ghana joining the ARC Ltd Insurance pool soon.

With Dep Min of Finance Kweku Agyeman Kwarteng, DG of National Disaster Management Organization NADMO, Eric Agyemang-Prempeh, MP Hon Abraham Oddom, Board members and senior management of ARC. Click on the link below for more news on Ghana and ARC.

https://reliefweb.int/report/ghana/ghana-hosts-african-risk-capacity-joint-board-meeting-signs-programme-work-improve

Thank you @NaomiCampbell for such kind words. And thank you for all you are doing to make fashion, architecture, and technology accessible to those without access on the continent, and for being a voice for people of African origin in the industry and around the world.

At the Umuda Isingwu village Community Primary School polling station contemplating the last minute postponement of Nigeria's presidential and legislative elections, children have taken back their primary school for early morning soccer.

To put it mildly, there could have been a few days’ notice of postponement to enable people to plan and avoid wasted travel costs! Not easy for the pockets of ordinary Nigerians!

In Addis at the launch of the new Africa Business Coalition for Health championed through a partnership of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa [UNECA] and the Aliko Dangote Foundation under the chairmanship of Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

The ECA has estimated a $66 billion per annum financing gap for healthcare in Africa. The public sector alone cannot cover this. There is a need for smart partnerships with the private sector and for their investments in pharmaceuticals, logistics, supply chain management, capacity support, technology, innovation, and other areas. The Africa Business coalition encourages the private sector to invest, to partner and be a more effective part of the solution to the continent’s health challenges.

With Didier Drogba, Véra Songwe, Aig Imoukhuede, Halima Dangote, Zouera Youssoufou, Michel Sidibe, Joseph Muchera , Dere Awosika among others.

A wonderful day in Adama Province, at the Adama Regional Hub and Dangore Furda Health Post in Wolenchiti with parents, children, health workers, traditional leaders and Dr Lia Tadesse, State Minister of Health, as well as Peter Sands Executive Director of The Global Fund as Ethiopia, launches its Measles 2 Vaccine.

Congratulations to His Excellency Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Dr Amir Hagos Minister of Health, Dr Lia Tadesse State Minister of health, their whole team and @Gavi!

Ethiopia has also launched the HPV vaccine for girls, which will protect them from cervical cancer in adulthood, a leading cause for cancer deaths among women on the continent! Over 1 million girls have been vaccinated! Bravo! I hope other African countries will join!

Click on the link for more!

https://www.afro.who.int/news/ethiopia-launches-measles-vaccine-second-dose-mcv2-introduction-over-33-million-children-will

With His Excellency Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia and with winners of the Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Excellence Award at the African Union Closing Summit in Addis.

The Scientific Excellence Award is a great feature of the AU to encourage Africa’s top science, engineering and technology talent. This year the awards went to Prof Atti Nahiza of Tunisia, Prof Aletta Schute of South Africa, Prof Abdel-Shafy Fahmy Obada of Egypt, and Prof David Mark Richardson of South Africa.

So pleased that two of the four awardees are women! An inspiration to our young scientists continent-wide and especially those at the African University of Science and Technology, Abuja!

At the AU summit in Addis with the theme Refugees, Migration and IDPs. President Kagame handed over the baton of AU chair to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt after an impactful presidency in which he led important AU reforms on financial sustainability, peace and security among others.

President Sisi plans to focus on regional infrastructure (Cairo to Cape Town connectivity), AfCTA the continental free trade agreement, and jobs for youth to address some of the poverty and economic migration issues.

Addressing the gathering Dr Tedros of WHO spoke about Universal Health Coverage as a human right, Bill Gates spoke about optimism for the progress on the continent and the need for African governments to step up to greater domestic financing of their health care.

Gianni Infantino President of FIFA spoke of football as a unifier for Africa and a tool for education and development on the continent. SG António Guterres noted that Africa is one of the most generous continents with countries accepting hundreds of thousands, even millions of refugees and migrants in spite of their modest means. He noted that generosity is not always linked to wealth! True. An interesting AU summit.

At the Africa Leadership meeting on Investing in Health convened by the AU, the Government of Rwanda in partnership with the Global Fund and Gavi on the sidelines of the AU meeting in Addis Ababa. With President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway, Bill Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and President Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia.

Leaders affirmed that investing in health is investing in development and a healthy citizenry is also the most productive citizenry. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, ”Good health is both an outcome and a driver of progress.”

Access to good health services is not only a human right but also smart economics. Beyond health ministers, finance ministers need to buy into this message. Leaders further affirmed that African governments must contribute more to the healthcare of their own people and reduce dependence on donors by a concerted effort to raise tax to GDP ratios, increase the budget pie, allocate more to health expenditures and use these resources more efficiently and effectively to deliver acceptable health outcomes!

The Private sector has to play an important role, as public resources alone cannot bridge the $66 billion per annum health care gap on the continent calculated by the Economic Commission for Africa.

I feel deep sadness but at the same time gratitude to God for the life of Haruna Mohammed, a life well lived. Haruna was one of the most balanced, fair, low key but quietly effective and efficient professionals with whom I ever worked.

Always by my side as in this photo, always supportive, he was a wonderful Director of International Economic Relations at the Ministry of Finance and an effective Executive Director at the Board of the World Bank. A man respected by his colleagues as a thorough professional.

May his soul rest in everlasting peace! We shall never forget you Haruna!!!

Discussing Development Finance in #Davos2019, including recommendations of the G20 Finance Ministers Eminent Persons Group with Heads of Multilateral Organizations, the Private Sector and Development Cooperation Ministers.

Lower Middle Income and Low-income countries, including in Africa, can and will mobilize more of their own domestic resources to finance their own development.

Outlook on the World Economy: my interview with Richard Quest of CNN in #Davos2019

https://www.facebook.com/NgoziOkonjoIweala/videos/2098398920252973/

At the Women of Impact dinner honoring Michelle Bachelet in #Davos with Tidjane Thiam, Christine Lagarde, Alyse Nelson, and with Michelle Bachelet and Tina Brown

With Dina Powell and Ayodeji Megbope; Christine Lagarde, Melanne Verveer, HE Amr Mousa and Dina Powell at the Goldman Sachs 10, 000 women event celebrating women entrepreneurs in #Davos, Switzerland. Check out what happens when women lead!

Supporting the fight for global health finance with Bill Gates, Bono, Peter Sands CEO, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and TB, and Seth Berkeley CEO GAVI the Vaccine Alliance in Davos.

Investing in health is good for individuals, households and economies! A dollar invested in immunization yields $16 dollars in avoided health costs and $44 in lifetime benefits, an amazing rate of return!

Countries also need to step up their own contributions to their health programs in view of the undeniable benefits to people and economies.

Discussing Gender Equality at the New York Times Gender Parity Oxford Style debate, #Davos.

Merry Christmas to all my Nairaland friends and a wonderful and productive new year 2019 to you and your families.

Nine months after my book “Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines” came out, I am happy to say it has been so well received with positive reviews and comments by both major international media like the Financial Times (see https://www.ft.com/content/1710b42a-4ef3-11e8-a7a9-37318e776bab) and fellow Nigerian citizens.

I have been particularly touched by the many youths who have reached out to me to say that this is the first time they have read such a frank and transparent account of what goes on in government in their country. I would like to thank you all for your support.

Nevertheless, recall that I also alerted you that the corrupt, vested interests and their supporters would attack. Thanks to all of you who have taken on these attackers. Corruption will never win even when it hides behind others to fight its unworthy battles.

In Abu Dhabi with @Gavi champions and wonderful advocates for immunization of our children! HE President Mahamadouou Issoufou, President of Niger and his wife the First Lady of Niger, together with Africa’s First Lady of Song Yvonne Chaka Chaka.

Also with his Excellency Prime Minister Carlos do Rosario of Mozambique and Former President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania.

Appreciate and commend UAE’s outstanding hosting of the GAVI’s midterm review. Appreciate the UAE’s leadership in global health and its strong support for immunization of the world’s children.

Gavi celebrates 18 years of existence and is grateful to partners and governments that have worked with it to immunize 700 million children thus far and save 10 million lives.

At Gavi’s midterm review with Gavi delegation of dignitaries and participants and HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and HE Minister Reem Al Hashimy, UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation.

At Gavi’s Mid Term Review in Abu Dhabi with HE Minister Reem Al Hashimy, Dr Seth Berkeley Gavi CEO, Ministers of Health from Mozambique and Laos, representatives of the Private sector, CSOs and other partners.

For every dollar spent on immunization, there is a $16 return for avoiding health costs and $44 return in terms of lifetime benefits. Immunization is one of the most cost effective health interventions available in the world today. Let’s immunize every child! @Gavi

Celebrating AIIB Anti-Corruption week in Beijing and delivering a keynote address with President Jin Liquin, staff and Board members of the Bank and staff of the Compliance Effectiveness and Integrity unit Managing Director Hamid Sharif, Andrew Mendoza and the rest of the team.

AIIB is innovating in its approach to Transparency and the Fight against Corruption! The motto for the week is “Integrity starts With Me.”

Congratulations and thanks to our great women, Super Falcons of Nigeria, for a hard fought victory! Let’s move on to greater heights.

Wonderful meeting with Gavi board in Geneva this week. So many impactful decisions on vaccine investments that bolster global health security. Gavi helps assure the health of the adult in every child. https:///2Avuh1Y

Today, International Children’s Day, is a wonderful occasion to remember our children; our most precious gift and resource. We should also remember and thank all those who take care of them, mothers, fathers, family, and schools.

And the international organizations such as GAVI that safeguard our children’s health through immunization. GAVI works to “Protect the adult within every child”

At the 10th anniversary celebrations of Results for Development R4D in Washington – in a great conversation on “Exploring New Models for Supporting Change Agents and Local Organizations.

If development is to be impactful and sustainable, it can only be so with local people and change agents at the helm. Yet, building up these organizations and institutions has not been as successful as local change agents and international development experts would wish.

How do we approach support for “on the ground, local organizations” differently? How do we identify who to work with, who can deliver for poor people, who to trust and partner within government and outside in civil society? With the private sector? How can the International community craft a more meaningful and impactful approach to support for those in local situations?

I joined David de Ferranti, Founder R4D and Gina Largomarsino, CEO, and a wonderful group of development practitioners from Peru, Jamaica, Kenya, USA, and international organizations Merck Foundation, 3ie, Teach for All, USAID, CGD etc. for a rich debate and brainstorm on solutions!