Dr. Vera Songwe, hailing from Cameroon’s Northwest region, has been appointed as an advisor to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. This makes her the first Cameroonian woman to hold such a position in South Africa’s administration.
The office of President Ramaphosa announced that Dr. Songwe will join the Presidential Economic Advisory Council. In her role, she will contribute to the administration’s efforts toward achieving rapid, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, as well as job creation. The council’s purpose is to ensure consistency and coherence in the implementation of economic policies and to help both the government and society respond effectively to changing economic circumstances.
The council will bring together local and international economic experts to advise the President and government on developing and implementing policies that promote inclusive growth. It will also serve as a forum for discussing emerging global and domestic economic issues, facilitating the execution of policies. According to the South African Presidency, this model aims to strengthen efforts to build a capable state, one of the administration’s top priorities.
Dr. Songwe’s appointment places her alongside 14 other top economists, both local and international, renowned for their expertise.
Dr. Vera Songwe is a respected economist with a wealth of international experience. She currently serves as a non-resident senior fellow at the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution. Previously, she held the position of Undersecretary-General at the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Dr. Songwe has worked with major financial institutions, including the World Bank, and is the founder and chair of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility.
Her academic background is equally impressive. She holds a PhD in Mathematical Economics from the Centre for Operations Research and Econometrics, as well as a Master’s in Law and Economics and a Diplôme d’études approfondies in Economic Science and Politics from Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. She also earned a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan. Dr. Songwe’s educational journey began at Our Lady of Lourdes College in Bamenda, Cameroon.
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