This panel of eminent women global leaders will explore how to bridge widening global divides highlighting Africa’s catalytic role in addressing systemic barriers between nations and regions drawing from their experiences at the highest levels of government and diplomacy.

This panel is in celebration of International Women’s Day #AccelerateAction showcasing how African leaders and changemakers are actively reshaping and positioning Africa in Global power hierarchies.

About the panelists

Mme Hanna Tetteh

Ms Tetteh is the former UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa. She served since 2019 as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU).  Prior to that, she served as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi.  

She also served in the cabinet of the Government of Ghana as Minister for Foreign Affairs during which time she was also a member of the National Security Council and the Armed Forces Council (2013-2017).  She was Minister for Trade and Industry (2009-2013).  From 2014 to 2015, she was the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers as well as Chairperson of the Mediation & Security Council of the Economic Community of West African States.

During her term as Minister for Trade and Industry, she was a member of the Government’s economic management team, the board of the Millennium Development Authority and the National Development Planning Commission as well as the Chairperson of the Ghana Free Zones Board.  In 2009, she served as Spokesperson for President John Evans Atta Mills’ Administration transition team. 

She was a Member of Parliament in 2000-2005 and 2013-2017.  She was appointed Co-Facilitator in the High-Level Forum for the Revitalisation of the Agreement for the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan (2017-2018). 

Ms. Tetteh holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Ghana, Legon.  She was called to the Ghana Bar in 1992.  

Dr Naledi Pandor

Dr Pandor is South Africa’s former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation from 2019-2024. She was part of the ministerial team of the cabinet of South Africa that initiated the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Dr Pandor was appointed the new Chair of the Nelson Mandela Foundation from 1 October 2024. Dr Pandor will be the third person to hold the position since Nelson Mandela established the organisation in 1999.

Dr Pandor became an MP in 1994 and has amassed impressive experience in positions of public office, including Deputy chief whip of the ANC in the National Assembly from 1995 to 1998, served as the Deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces in 1998, and its Chairperson from 1999-2004.

Dr Pandor’s experience in education policy planning made her a welcome appointment as South Africa’s Minister of Education in 2004. She has been a member of cabinet ever since, and has served her country in the following portfolios:

• Minister of Education (2004-2009);
• Minister of Science and Technology (2009-2012);
• Minister of Home Affairs (2012-2014);
• Minister of Science and Technology (2014-2018); and
• Minister of Higher Education and Training (2018-19).

Dr Pandor has a Phd from the University of Pretoria (2019) and honorary doctorates from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, University of Stellenbosch, and the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and the University College Dublin in Ireland.

Julia Gillard - TBC

Julia Gillard is the only woman to have served as Prime Minister of Australia, a position she held from 2010 to 2013. Julia was central to the successful management of Australia’s economy, the 12th biggest in the world, during the global financial crisis, and delivered nation-changing policies including reforming Australian education at every level and establishing the nation’s first ever national scheme to care for people with disabilities. In October 2012, Julia received worldwide attention for her speech in parliament on the treatment of women in professional and public life. In April 2018, Julia was appointed Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London.

Mrs Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi

Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a feminist activist and thinker, gender specialist, writer, community leader and policy advocate. She is also a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the African Leadership Centre since 2017 and a leading practitioner on the Centre's Practice of Leadership programme. She has many years of experience in gender and development, social entrepreneurship, communications, policy advocacy, and social change philanthropy. She was the Director of AMwA, an African women’s international development organisation, she established the African Women’s Leadership Institute and co-founded the African Women's Development Fund, (AWDF) i. She serves on the Executive Boards of the African Women’s Development Fund, the African Women Leaders’ Network ii, the Woman at Risk International Foundation, the Advisory Board of the Nigerian Feminist Forum, and the Governing Council of Elizade University iii, Nigeria. She is also on the Women’s Leadership Board at the Women and Public Policy Program, at Harvard Kennedy School. She runs an online community called Abovewhispers.com and is the founder of Above Whispers Foundation and The Wrapper Network. She was a UN Women Nigeria Senior Advisor (2017-2018) and is currently a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King’s College, London. She was First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria (2010-2014 and 2018-2022) and Chair, of Nigerian Governors’ Spouses Forum (2020-2022).

About King's Africa Week

Hosted by the African Leadership Centre and Africa research group, Africa Week is an annual celebration of research, education and outreach activities on Africa.

King's Africa Week brings together academics, researchers and students from across King's – and offers the opportunity to hear from African scholars, leaders and thinkers. It also showcases King's collaboration with African universities and partners.

Find out more about Africa Week