Mohohlo’s membership of the Africa Progress Panel confirmed

Commenting on her membership and the challenges that lie ahead for the Panel, Mrs Mohohlo said: “The Africa Progress Panel’s greatest strength lies in its unique composition of members – from the pinnacle of diplomacy to commerce. I am committed to contributing to the Panel’s work as it delivers on its mandate of, among others, helping to usher in good governance and economic prosperity to Africa. It is also important to work on empowering African women in particular, as a stepping stone towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal on gender equality, without which many other goals will not be easily achieved. This is an important and exciting project following the work of the Commission for Africa, which published its Report (Our Common Interest) in March 2005. I look forward to working with the Panel members and learning from their wealth of skill, expertise and experience, as we work towards making a discernible difference to Africa’s plight.”

In addition to serving as Governor of the Bank of Botswana, the position she has held since 1999 following a 23-year career with the Bank, Mrs Mohohlo has worked for the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In her current capacity as Governor of the IMF for Botswana, she served as a member of the International Monetary and Financial Committee during 2000–02 representing the Africa Group 1 Constituency which comprises more than 20 English speaking Sub-Saharan African countries. She was appointed Eminent Person in 2001 by the then Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan, to oversee the evaluation of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa; and has served in the Commission for Africa. She is a member of the Steering Committee of the Africa Emerging Markets Forum.

Mrs Mohohlo is a recipient of several awards, among which are: The Banker Magazine’s Central Bank Governor of the Year (2001) for Africa and the Middle East, Euromoney’s Emerging Markets Central Bank Governor of the Year for Sub-Saharan Africa (2003), Presidential Order of Honour - 2004 (Botswana’s highest public service award), African Times Africa Leadership Award (2007) and Africa’s Banking Regulator of the Year (2007). She has read accounting and business, economics, finance and investments at the University of Botswana, The George Washington University and University of Exeter, respectively.

The Africa Progress Panel was launched in 2007 in both Berlin and Accra. Its unique set of members have come together to utilise their skills and experience to encourage leaders and policy-makers across Africa and its development partners to deliver on their commitments.

Commenting on their newest member, the Africa Progress Panel Chairman, Kofi Annan, said: “I am delighted to welcome Linah Mohohlo to the Africa Progress Panel. My fellow Panel members and I are confident that she will make a concrete and positive contribution to the important work that lies ahead of us.” The announcement of Mohohlo’s membership comes on the back of that of Tony Blair last month.

The Panel’s other members are Michel Camdessus, Peter Eigen, Bob Geldof, Graça Machel, Olusegun Obasanjo, Bob Rubin, Tidjane Thiam and Muhammad Yunus. The Panel’s remit going forward will be to focus on areas which include positively changing the African donor environment, private sector as well as trade and climate.