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2018 Post Summit Report
Conference Chair
Prof. Jamal SAGHIR (Panel Chair)
Advisory Board Member
 GRV Global

Jamal Saghir is Professor of Practice at the Institute for the Study of International Development at McGill University, Montreal, Canada; and Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), Washington, D.C. He is also Special Advisor to the Executive Committee of Bollore Transport and Logistics, member of the Advisory Board of MAN S.A.L., Melec Power Gen Inc., and GRV Global Ltd.

From 2010 to 2016, Mr. Saghir was Director for Sustainable Development and Senior Regional Advisor at the World Bank, where he held directorship in Energy and Power, Water, Transport, Environment, Agriculture and Rural development, Infrastructure and Sustainable Development. He managed one of the largest World Bank Group departments with over 400 staff, an equal number of consultants, and was responsible for a portfolio of close to 300 projects worth around US$25 billion. From, 2000 to 2010, Mr. Saghir was Director and Chair of the World Bank Group’s Boards for Energy, Water and Transport, leading Bank activities, guiding its lending strategy and implementation in member countries. From 1990 to 2000, Mr. Saghir served in senior management and leadership roles in a variety of energy, private sector development, restructuring operations in Africa, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Prior to joining the World Bank, Mr. Saghir served as Resident Advisor to the Prime Ministry in Tunisia and Country Director for Scientex Corporation, Center for Privatization (1988-1990), and from 1985-1988, he held the positions of Economic Adviser and Chief of Staff to the Associate Minister of Finance and Privatization in Quebec (Canada). From 1982 to 1985, he served as Economist at the National Assembly of Quebec.


Keynote Speakers
Hon. Aziz RABBAH-2
Minister
 Ministry of Energy, Mines & Sustainable Development; Kingdom of Morocco

Mr. Aziz Rabbah, the former Minister of Equipment, Transport and Logistics since January 2012, was appointed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI as Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development on April 5 2017. M. Aziz Rabbah is an engineer, specialized in new information technologies. He holds a Bachelor in Mathematics from the Mohammed V high school in Kenitra (1981), an engineering degree from INSEA (1985) and a Masters degree in Software Engineering from Laval University in Quebec (1992). M. Rabbah held several leadership positions in the Ministries of Economic and General Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Trade and Industry. He also served as an adviser in the offices of several Moroccan Ministers. Mr. Rabbah was elected Mayor of Kenitra city in 2009 and was re-elected in 2015. He was elected member of the Moroccan parliament in 2007, 2011 and 2016. M. Aziz Rabbah participated in several meetings concerning information technologies and communication, administrative reform, e-government, the upgrade of economy and the information society. He is Research and Expertise Center (CEREX) Executive Committee and founding member and a founding member of the Sigma21 association. He was also a member of the National Committee for the Upgrading the Economy (2002-2004), the Strategic Committee for Information Technologies (CSTI) (2004-2005), the Interministerial Committee for Electronic Commerce. On the political level, Mr. Aziz Rabbah is one of the leaders of the Moroccan Justice and Development Party, of which he is a member of the General Secretariat for four terms. He was elected national secretary of the youth section of the party for two terms and head of the party's Executives section. Mr. Rabbah was born in 1962 in Sidi Kacem. He is married and has three children. He speaks Arabic, French and English.
H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia SACKO
Commissioner of Rural Economy & Agriculture
 African Union Commission (AUC)

H.E. Madam Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, an Angolan national, is a leading African Agronomist. She was elected as the new Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission. Prior to that, She was a Special Adviser to two Ministers in Angola, her home country: the Angolan Minister of Environment where she also served as Ambassador responsible for Climate Change. In the Department of the minister of Agriculture Mme Sacko oversaw Food Security, Eradication of Hunger and Poverty Reduction. The former Secretary General of the Inter African Coffee Organization (IACO) for 13 years in Cote D’Ivoire where she represented Coffee economy for 25 African Coffee producing countries. During her tenure, she successfully advocated for the empowerment of small scale coffee farmers across the continent by setting up Regional Centres of Excellence for Capacity Building of Member States, on Genetic Material Conservation, Coffee Quality Improvement and Cup Tasting Liquor in Cote d’Ivoire, Uganda, Cameroon and Zambia. Madam Sacko is one of the African Women Africa should be proud of, and she has built up her international profile and reputation by working with Regional, Global Institutional on Agriculture and many other sectors supported by World Trade Organization (WTO), African Union (AU), International Coffee Organization (ICO), African Development Bank (AFDB), African Bank for Export and Import (AFREXIMBANK), (FAO), UNECA, NEPAD etc. The other notable cooperation/partnerships she has worked with include the Regional Economic Communities (RECS), namely, SADC, COMESA, ECOWAS and EAC, where she has actively participated to address the challenges encountered by small scale farmers in Africa, ensuring that they remain a central focus in regional and national policy making for development. Madam Sacko speaks fluent Portuguese, French, English, Spanish and Lingala.
Mr. Rachid BENMESSAOUD
Country Director For Nigeria And Coordinating Director For West Africa Regional Integration Program
 The World Bank Group

Rachid Benmessaoud is the World Bank’s Country Director for the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Coordinating Director for West Africa Regional Integration since October 1, 2015. Prior to this position, Mr. Benmessaoud was the World Bank’s Country Director for Pakistan during 2010-2015, based in Islamabad. Since joining the World Bank in 1990, he has held several positions in the Bank’s Middle East and North Africa and Europe and Central Asia Regions, and worked on energy, infrastructure, and municipal finance projects. In 2003, he joined the South Asia Region as Operations Adviser for India, based in Delhi, where he oversaw the Bank’s India portfolio. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Physics from Université d’Aix-Marseille II, an Electrical Engineering Degree from Ecole Supérieure d’Electricité, a Doctor-Engineering Degree from Université de Paris XI (France); and an MBA in Finance from University of Denver (United States of America).
Ms. Leila FARAH MOKADDEM
Country Manager - Morocco
 African Development Bank (AfDB)

Recently appointed as Country manager & Resident representative of the African Development Bank in Morocco, Leila Farah Mokaddem was the Resident Representative of the AfDB in Egypt from 2014 to 2017. Prior to that, she occupied the positions of Regional Resident Representative in Dakar, Senegal, and head of financial institutions where she designed innovative financial solutions for Africa including for SMEs’ guarantees, trade finance and women in business economic empowerment. Prior to AfDB, Leila was long-term fiscal advisor to the IMF. She started her carrier at the Ministry Economy of Tunisia and has MBA degree in Finance and International trade, respectively.
Dr. Henning WUESTER (Panel Chair)
Director - the KPFC
 IRENA

Henning Wuester is currently Director of Knowledge, Policy, and Finance Centre at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). From 2011 to early 2014, Dr. Wuester was working for the Green Climate Fund (GCF). He was the Secretary to the Transitional Committee that drafted the Governing Instrument for the GCF in 2011, heading a Technical Support Unit with senior staff from international financial institutions and UN agencies. Subsequently, he was the Senior Manager at the Interim Secretariat of the GCF, in charge of supporting the GCF Board, developing the Fund’s business model framework, setting up the Fund’s administrative policies and procedures and negotiating the headquarters agreement of the GCF with the Republic of Korea. From 2003 to 2010, Dr. Wuester was Special Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). He was responsible for the management of the Executive Office, for overall internal policy coordination processes within the UNFCCC secretariat, liaison with the United Nations Secretary-General, and for cooperation with other organizations, in particular UN system entities. Before joining the UNFCCC from 1991 to 2003, Mr. Wuester was at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, where he performed various functions in the secretariat of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. He studied economics and international law at Munich University (final degree in 1986) and obtained his PhD in economics there in 1990.
Ms. Marie Francoise MARIE NELLY
Country Director - Morocco
 The World Bank Group

Ms. Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly joined the World Bank in 1994 and has held a variety of positions focused on the restructuring of public enterprises, support to private sector development, regional integration, and management of the oil sector. Before assuming the position of World Bank Country Director for the Maghreb and Malta on July 1st, 2015, Ms. Marie-Nelly spent four years as Country Director for Nigeria, and previous to that held a number of posts including Country Director for the two Congo (Brazzaville and DRC) from 2008 to 2011, Director for the World Bank Group Program related to the Chad Petroleum and the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project from 2004 to 2007 and Director for the regional integration program in Africa from 2000 to 2004. A native of Martinique, Ms. Marie-Nelly is a Certified Public Accountant, graduate of the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Nantes and Bowling Green University (Ohio, USA). She has also completed several management programs at Harvard University in the US. She worked for many international firms and was advisor to several governments before joining the World Bank.


Speakers
Mr. Pasi Sakari HELLMAN
Managing Director
 Nordic Development Fund (NDF)

Pasi Hellman has served as the Managing Director of the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) since November 2012. Hellman has more than 25 years of international experience from international development and relations, development finance and multilateral diplomacy. He has worked as a career diplomat in various positions at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland in Helsinki, as well as in Finnish embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and the Hague, and the Netherlands. He has served in the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank in Manila, the Philippines between 2004 and 2007. In addition, he has a wide experience from serving as Finland’s officially appointed representative in the governing bodies of various International Financial Institutions and UN organizations, including International Development Association, African Development Bank and International Fund for Agricultural Development. Hellman holds a PhD (in economics) from Turku School of Economics in Finland in 1996. He has also published articles on topics related to internationalization in the financial sector, global development and development finance.
Dr. Thomas Edward DOWNING
CEO
 Global Climate Adaptation Partnership (GCAP)

Dr. Thomas E. Downing is President and CEO of the Global Climate Adaptation Partnership (GCAP). His career began with setting up the Natural Hazards Information Center in Boulder, Colorado with spells as Advisor to the United Nations Environment Programme, Munich Re Foundation Chair for social vulnerability, Director of the Stockholm Environment Institute Oxford and professor in the University of Oxford. In his 30 years of experience working in the field of environment, natural disasters and resilience, he has led major projects, including EC assessments on the economics of climate change, adaptive management in water and responses to climatic hazards. He is currently leading the Private Markets for Climate Resilience project supported by the Interamerican Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. GCAP’s software and technical advisors inform over $1 billion of investment projects around the world through Multilateral Development Banks and major donor funds. Tom is one of the most highly cited experts on climate vulnerability, impacts and adaptation and an internationally recognised thought leader. He has published over 100 papers, books, reports and book reviews, including the award winning Atlas of Climate Change (with Kirstin Dow).
Mrs. Jane AFRANE
Regional Head, Africa Regional Network
 World Green Building Council

Jane Afrane is the Regional Head for World Green Building Council Africa Network. She focuses on the setting up, establishment and advancement of Green Building Councils across the Africa region. She further spearheads project development and advocacy initiatives in the region to raise and promote awareness of green building. She has vast experience in the international development sector managing multi-lateral projects in West and East Africa, driving the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals and empowering local government as a key development partner. She also previously worked at UN-Habitat providing technical support to urban governance programming and decentralisation processes. Jane is an avid writer and researcher on African Urbanism, exploring the unique complexities of the urban form in contemporary African cities.
Mr. Vladimir STENEK
Senior Climate Change Specialist
 International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Vladimir Stenek is Senior Climate Change Specialist at the International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group. Vladimir leads IFC’s Climate Risk and Adaptation Program, which provides financial and operational climate resilience solutions for the private and public sectors. Vladimir holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from UC Berkeley; PUC, Santiago; and Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria, Lima.
Dr. Daniel SCHROTH
Adviser to the Vice President, Power, Energy, Climate Change and Green Growth
 African Development Bank (AfDB)

Dr. Daniel Schroth is the Advisor to the Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth at the African Development Bank. He was previously the coordinator of the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Africa Hub hosted by the AfDB in partnership with the AU, NEPAD and UNDP. Daniel also coordinated inter alia the Africa Climate Technology and Finance Center project, the Secretariat to the African Energy Leaders Group and the Green Mini-Grid Market Development Program. Daniel has extensive experience in energy policy. Prior to joining the AfDB, he worked for several years for the European Commission in both headquarters and the field, for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and in the private sector. Daniel holds a Ph.D. and Masters in International Relations with a focus on international energy policy from the University of Cambridge, and business degrees from Reims Management School and the European School of Business (ESB) Reutlingen.
Mr. Olivier COLAS
Head of Business Development
 BlueSolutions (Groupe Bolloré)

Olivier Colas is Director of Storage Business development of BlueSolutions (Group Bolloré) with the objective to promote On-Grid and Off-Grid energy solutions using Renewable Energy and storage capacities to meet energy transition challenges. Before Group Bolloré, he acquired its expertise by working at E&Y as senior manager in charge of sustainable development and at IBM responsible for Smartgrid market. He has an engineering degree from a school in Paris.
Mr. Imtiaz MAHTAB
Strategic Advisor and Managing Director, MEA & APAC Regions
 SkyPower Global

Imtiaz Mahtab is a Strategic Advisor to SkyPower’s Board of Directors and the company’s Managing Director for the Middle East, Africa (MEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) Regions. He is the incumbent President of the Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA) and comes to SkyPower from Air Liquide, the world’s largest industrial gas company. The Harvard Business School (HBS) graduate occupied several worldwide leadership positions during his 20 years with the French multinational. Mr. Mahtab holds an Executive MBA in Strategy and Finance from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Ms. Hanae RHARNIT
International Development & Cooperation Project Manager
 Masen

Hanae RHARNIT is International Development and Cooperation Project Manager at Masen, where she has the challenge to expand Masen's expertise by optimizing the benefits of cross-border cooperation and accelerating investments of renewable energy internationally. She has worked for 10 years in international development agencies or organisations such as UNESCO, German Cooperation (GIZ) and L'Oréal. She holds an Executive Master in Development Policies from Sciences Po Paris and a Law and Diplomacy Moroccan Master of Research. She also studied Economics at Paris Dauphine University.
Dr. Elham M. A. IBRAHIM
Vice Chair for Africa
 World Energy Council

Dr. Elham IBRAHIM is Egyptian. She has Ph.D. in Electronics and Communication engineering. Over 43 years, Dr. Ibrahim had served in the academic research, electrical energy production & interconnection, energy strategies and policies, international cooperation, energy planning, computer aided design and management of energy projects. She held various posts; First Under Secretary of State, Under Secretary of State for International cooperation in the Ministry of Electricity in Egypt, Director in the New and Renewable Energy Authority, Associate professor at the Girl’s Faculty in Saudi Arabia, Senior Engineer at the High Dam Power Station, and Researcher at the National Research Center, Cairo. In April 2008 she was elected and appointed as the Commissioner of Infrastructure & Energy, in the African Union Commission. In July 2012 she was re-elected for the same post till March 2017. She was responsible to lead the accelerated integrated infrastructure development in Africa In October 2016 she was elected as the vice chair of the World Energy Council for Africa region to support and promote the energy development in the Continent and worldwide.
Mr. Luciano CANALE (Panel Chair)
Senior Hydropower Specialist
 The World Bank Group

Luciano Canale is a Senior Hydropower Specialist with the Energy practice at the World Bank. He graduated with a Master degree in hydraulic structures from the Technical University of Naples, Italy. He has more than 15 years of experience in the design and implementation of hydroelectric schemes and hydraulic structures. Before joining the World Bank, he has headed as Project Manager the feasibility studies, the design works and the construction supervision for several large dams and hydropower projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, South East Asia and Eastern Europe. He is currently involved in a number of dam and hydropower projects supported by the World Bank in the Africa Region, particularly in Cameroon, Niger, DRC, Burundi, Rwanda and Zambia. He is part of the WB team that is developing climate resilience guidelines in the hydropower sector; he is currently working on implementing hydrologic risk mitigation strategies in WB-funded projects.
Dr. Jacques MOULOT
Chief Energy Specialist
 African Development Bank (AfDB)

Dr. Moulot is Chief Energy Specialist in the Department of Power Sector Development of the African Development Bank. His main activities includes planning, preparation and investment in multinational energy projects; providing Technical Assistance, policy and strategic advisory services to key regional and national African Energy Stakeholders. He is also active in the design and implementation of programmes related to power utility turn-around. He previously held the position of Sub-Sahara Africa Senior Programme Specialist for Science and Technology in UNESCO, was the coordinator of the secretariat of UN-Energy/Africa and focal point of UN Interagency Energy Coordination Group, while in the UN-Economic Commission for Africa.

Dr. Moulot is a USA AFGRAD Fellow with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering with focus on renewable energy, with more than 25 years’ experience. He is the author of several publications on issues related to energy development in Africa, and is a known international keynote speaker on African energy issues.
Mr. Csaba MARTON
Director Global Marketing & Sales Small Hydro
 Voith Hydro Holding GmbH & Co. KG

Csaba Marton graduated in Environmental Engineering from the Technical University Berlin/ Germany, the University of Aveiro/ Portugal and the University of Brasília/ Brazil. Mr. Marton started his professional career in 1999 as consultant at Prognos, where he advised a diverse range of clients in market strategies and business development. From 2004 to 2008 he worked for Wintershall focusing on strategic planning and energy policy. In 2008 Mr. Marton joined AREVA, where he held different managing positions; the last position was that of director for Marketing in Central Europe and Nordic countries. In 2015 he joined Voith Hydro as director global marketing and sales for Small Hydro.
Mr. Hector IBARRA
CEO
 Global Parametrics

Hector has over 20 years’ experience driving innovation in the financial industry for multilateral agencies, financial intermediaries and national/regional governments. As CEO of Global Parametrics (GP) he has the mandate to consolidate GP as the lead FinTech player in the natural disaster area by applying global climate and seismic data through specialized modeling. Before GP, Hector worked at the World Bank where he designed and placed over $1 billion in weather risk transfer in low and middle-income countries. Hector joined the World Bank from the private sector where he was Assistant VP for Insurance Linked Securities (ILS) at PartnerRe.
Dr. Gregory CHARACKLIS
Professor
 University of North Carolina

Dr. Characklis is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he also serves as Director of the Center on Financial Risk in Environmental Systems. Prior to joining UNC, Dr. Characklis served for two years as Director of Resource Development and Management at Azurix Corp. (a division of Enron Corp.) in Houston, Texas. Before that he spent two years in Washington, D.C. as a fellow with the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. Dr. Characklis holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. from Rice University in Environmental Science and Engineering and a B.S. from Johns Hopkins University in Materials Science and Engineering.
Mr. Daniel TASENDE
Supply Planning Manager
 UTE (Usinas y Transmisiones Eléctricas)

Daniel Tasende is a Supply Planning Manager at UTE (Administración de Usinas y Trasmisiones Eléctricas). He holds a Master degree in Mathematical Engineering from the UDELAR University of Uruguay. He has 35 years of experience in the optimization and simulation modelling of the Uruguayan power system, and energy investment planning. He worked on the implementation of the firm energy contracts with Argentina to back-up the system against droughts and was responsible for the optimization of contracts policy. Daniel was deeply involved in the integration of biomass and wind generation into the Country electricity matrix. He has been the head of UTE team for the preparation and execution of the weather and oil price insurance transaction. Currently, he is working in long term planning of the transmission system to be able to support the renewable energy development.
Mr. Yuan Yong LONG
Vice President
 Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Ltd

Mr. Yuan Yong Long is currently Vice President at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions. Yong joined Swiss Re as an Agricultural Underwriter in 2007. Thanks to his efforts, Swiss Re became one of the market leaders for agricultural reinsurance in China and achieved significant growth in agricultural reinsurance in Asia. Yong executed a couple of innovative transactions at Swiss Re. In 2009, he concluded the agricultural reinsurance transaction with the Beijing municipal government. This transaction set up the first example of a regional government utilizing reinsurance solutions to manage the natural catastrophic exposure in China. He developed the first precipitation index insurance solution for a hydropower company, the first wind index solution for a wind farm and the first solar radiation index solution for a solar power plant. With these transactions he won twice Weather Risk Management Transaction of the Year Award by Environmental Finance. Yong worked as a Credit Analyst from 2002 to 2005 at Bank of Shanghai. Yong graduated from the Finance Department of East China Normal University with a Master Degree in Economics in 2002. He obtained an MBA degree from University St. Gallen in Switzerland in 2006.
Mr. Khalid BENHAMOU
CEO
 Sahara Wind

Khalid Benhamou (B.S. Engineering 1992, California Polytechnic University, USA) installed Morocco’s first hybrid wind/diesel system on the Sahara trade windblown coastline in 1994. As founder and developer of the Sahara Wind 5GW-HVDC regional transmission project connecting Africa to Europe, he established the link between the Atlantic trade winds and 71% of the World phosphates reserves. Presented at the European parliament in 2002, the project inspired several EU-backed initiatives and obtained funding from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). To leverage the Atlantic trade winds in processing the region’s key mineral resources, he coordinates industry-academia capacity building in Morocco and Mauritania.
Dr. Uwe SEEBACHER (MBA)
Global Director Marketing and Communication, Pumps
 ANDRITZ

Uwe Seebacher, PhD in Economics and Business Administration, is running the global marketing and communications activities for the PUMPS global division segment of ANDRITZ Group headquartered in Graz/Austria. He has an international track record in strategic and operational marketing and communication as well as organizational development. He is lecturer at many highly recognized business schools and universities and author of many leading management publications published at for example Springer New York or Harvard Business Manager. For his innovative marketing concepts and initiatives for institutions and projects such as Allianz, European Union, Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Bayer Leverkusen, BASF, and many others he was awarded with many different awards such as the DISKOBOLOS INNOVATION AWARD by the European Chamber of Commerce or the Export Award 2016 by the Federal Austrian Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Seebacher’s experience includes over 20 years in manufacturing, energy and services industry.
Mrs. Philippa CHARLTON
Chief Marketing Officer
Averda

Philippa Charlton is Chief Marketing Officer at Averda, the largest integrated waste management provider in the GCC and Africa. Philippa is responsible for building the Averda brand globally across government and industrial business leading a team of multinational marketers. She joined Averda in 2013, prior to this she was Group Marketing Director of the Global Merchant, PaperlinX and held various Executive level appointments in an International Security business, Telecommunications and the paper industry. Philippa has a joint Major in English and Film from U.E.A in the UK, a Post-Graduate Diploma from Demonfort University and is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Dr. Eleanor BLYTH
Head of Hydro-Climate Risks
 CEH (Centre of Ecology & Hydrology)

Dr Eleanor Blyth is acting Head of Hydro-Climate Risks at the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology, UK. CEH works in West and East Africa on droughts, floods and intense rainfall and how these extremes may change in a future climate. The team are international leaders in both observational techniques. Using site-based instrumentation and satellite data, as well as modelling. Dr Blyth’s scientific expertise is the role of the land surface in climate, meteorology and hydrology, with specialist expertise in Evapotranspiration and Land-Atmosphere Interactions.
Mr. Yariv KEDAR
Chairman
 Green Arava LTD

Yariv has over 34 years of experience in agriculture- more than 20 years in Africa and Latin America. In Africa, he pioneered a comprehensive product for small-scale growers allowing them access to training, high quality inputs and agro-support which won several awards on poverty, hunger and youth employment from the UNDP and Africa Development. In all his undertakings, Yariv advocates for sustainable agri-business practices and integrating host communities. For his work on food security, he was recently awarded by Society for International Development (SID-Israel) the Award for Changing Lives in Developing World (Private Sector).
Ms. Magda LOVEI (Panel Chair)
Practice Manager, Environment Practice, Africa Region
 The World Bank Group

Magda Lovei has been working at the World Bank since 1993. Early in her career in the Bank, she worked on investment projects, policy-based lending operations, studies, and technical assistance programs in several countries from Africa to Eastern Europe, East and Central Asia, and Latin America. During the 1980s, she led the Bank’s successful global initiative aimed at phasing out leaded gasoline world-wide. As Lead Environmental Economist at the Environment Department of the World Bank, she was in charge of the preparation and implementation oversight of the World Bank’s first corporate Environment Strategy, approved by the Bank’s Board of Directors in 2001.

Since 2003, Ms. Lovei has held various management positions including Sector Manager for Environment, in the East Asia and the Pacific Region (EAP); Manager of Policy and Operations, Sustainable Development Department (EAP); Sector Manager for Social Development, Environment, and Rural Development (EAP); and Sector Manager for Environment, Natural Resources, Water, and Disaster Risk Management in the Africa Region. Ms. Lovei holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Budapest, Hungary; and an MBA in finance from the George Washington University, U.S. She is an author of several publications.
Dr. Elvis Paul N. TANGEM
Coordinator, Great Green Wall initiative
African Union Commission (AUC)

Dr. Elvis Paul TANGEM is the Coordinator for the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWSSI) at the African Union Commission (AUC). The GGWI is a Pan African flagship programme aimed at resilience building in the Dry lands of Africa through a mosaic of Sustainable land Management, restoration and sustainable economic development projects. Before joining the Africa Union Commission, Dr. TANGEM worked as Regional Enterprise Development Manager for Tree Aid International, a UK based international development charity, and he also worked with UN-FAO as Technical adviser for the programs to promote Actors in engaged in forest products based enterprises. Dr. TANGEM has also served with other organisations including Centre in Scotland, Environmental Justice Foundation, London, Watershed Task Group in Cameroon. He is also a mentor and coach, and is behind the establishment of well known ‘start-ups in Cameroon, West Africa. He holds a BSc from University of Dschang - Cameroon, MSc in Ecology & Management University of Edinburgh, an Executive MBA from PGSM Paris and PH.D in Business Administration, and several certificates and diplomas.
Dr. Laouali GARBA
Chief Climate Change Officer, Coordinator CSA
 African Development Bank (AfDB)

Mr. Laouali GARBA is currently the Coordinator of the AfDB’s African climate – smart agriculture (ACSA) programme which aims to scale up the development of CSA infrastructure and technologies in Africa. Dr Garba is a Civil Engineer with a Ph.D. in environmental engineering from Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal. He has more than 20 years of experience in environmental and climate change studies, preparation/ implementation of infrastructure projects in various fields such as natural resource management, energy, pollution control, water supply and sanitation, urban and rural infrastructure, agriculture, agribusiness, climate change adaptation and mitigation. He started his career as an environmental engineer with private companies for promoting the building of sustainable infrastructure in Africa. Since 2011, with the African Development Bank, he is working on the development of sustainable and climate resilient infrastructure for the transformation of African agriculture.
Hon. Patricia APPIAGYEI
Deputy Minister
 Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation; Republic of Ghana

Hon. Patricia APPIAGYEI has served the Government of the Republic of Ghana since 2005, currently serving as the Deputy Minister of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation. She holds a Post Graduate Diploma from the Institute of Economic Studies & Development in Italy, and a B.A HONS (Knust). Prior to joining the Government, Hon. APPIAGYEI served the City Investments Company Ltd. as Director of Marketing (1995-2010), before becoming Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister in 2005, then MCE (2006-2009), and a Member of Parliament in 2013 through to 2016.
Mr. Dawud Mume ALI
Director - Plan & Budget Development, Monitoring & Evaluation Directorate
 Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change; Ethiopia

Dawud Mume ALI currently serves as the Director of Policy Planning and Budget Development, within the Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, of The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. He graduated from Haramaya University, Ethiopia and excels in Management by profession. Mr. ALI has worked in various Regional and Federal Government institutions at different Executive positions for the past 15 years, mainly: Mayor of Chiro town in Oromia, National Regional State, Head of Government Communication Affairs Office in Oromia Region, Head of Culture and Tourism Office after which he was promoted to the top leadership position of Federal Government organisation, appointed by the Prime Minister, to the position of Director General of the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as of 1st November 2013 till April 2017. Voluntarily, Mr. ALI serves as the African Elephant Coalition Ambassador to the African Union as of June 2017, and Member of the Board of Ethiopian Red Cross Society, Oromia Region.
Ms. Dahlia LOTAYEF (Panel Chair)
Lead Environmental Specialist
 The World Bank Group

Dahlia Lotayef is a Lead Environmental Specialist in the Environment and Natural Resources Global Practice at the World Bank Group. She is currently responsible for the West Africa Coastal Areas Program (WACA) as well as several programs on managing environmental risk and pollution. Ms Lotayef has extensive experience in developing, managing, and working on multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral policies, programs and projects at the local and international levels. She has designed and managed a large number of environmental projects, including but not limited to pollution control, air quality management, information and monitoring. Ms Lotayef is an Egyptian national and holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering, with more than 25 years of professional experience in the field of the environment from governmental and non-governmental jobs.
H.E. Dr. Mohamed Abdel ATY
Minister
 Ministry of Water Resources & Irrigation (MWRI); Egypt

Dr. Mohamed Abdel Aty, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Egypt and Vice-President of AMCOW. Solid international experience in climate change impact assessment on water resources, infrastructure feasibility, agriculture, flood and disaster risk management. Broad international work experiences worldwide, notably in Africa. Water resources planner and manager, with thirty years of academic research and national, regional and international practical experiences in formulating, monitoring and evaluating water plans and development policies. Strong projects management and contracts administration experience. Several contributions to the second and fourth world water forum in Netherlands and Mexico, and an involvement with the next generation of water leaders group.
Mr. Hachimou ISSAKA
Technical Advisor to the Commissioner
 Commission de l'UEMOA

Mr. Hachimou ISSAKA currently serves the Commission de l'UEMOA as Technical Advisor to the Commissioner in charge of DSAME / DAREN, a position he has held since November 2013. He joined the Commission in 2013, where he started as Environment Officer. Prior to joining the Commission, Mr. ISSAKA served the National Environment Directorate as Program Officer (1996-1998), and Departmental Director at the Urban Community of Niamey (1994-1996).
Dr. Werner EKAU
Head of Department Ecology
 Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research ZMT

Dr. Werner Ekau is Head of Department Ecology in the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) in Bremen, Germany. He is also the Director of the Operational Centre Germany of International Ocean Institute IOI. He is a fisheries biologist by training working since 1991 in tropical ecosystems. The last activity was the project AWA (Ecosystem Approach to the management of fisheries and the marine environment in West African waters) with the aim to understand the recruitment potential of the coastal species Bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata). Ekau is engaged in Capacity Development and member of IOC, ICES and LME workgroups.
Dr. Kanta Kumari RIGAUD (Panel Chair)
Lead Environment Specialist, Climate Change Coordinator, Africa Region
 The World Bank Group

Kanta Kumari Rigaud is a Lead Environmental Specialist at the World Bank. Kanta joined the Bank in 2004, coming from the Global Environment Facility. At the Bank, she has worked in the Middle East North Africa Region, the Climate Change Group and is now in the Africa Region as the Regional Coordinator of Climate Change. She has led the Bank’s flagship report series - “Turn Down the Heat” which focused on the nexus of climate science and development; and more recently the report “Groundswell – Preparing for Internal Climate Migration - working with leading research and scientific institutions to pioneer these reports. She has also led the development of key tools and learning platform related to climate screening and climate services, and served until recently as the Bank’s focal point for the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience which operates in 28 countries. She is the co-chair for KNOMAD’s Technical Working Group on Environmental Change and Migration. Kanta has a PhD in Environmental Sciences from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Justus Joseph KABYEMERA
Coordinator - ClimDev Africa Special Fund
 African Development Bank (AfDB)

Dr. Justus Joseph KABYEMERA, is the Coordinator of ClimDev Africa Special Fund at the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Prior to his appointment Dr. Kabyemera was the Chief Policy Economist in the Results and Quality Assurance Department of the Bank. He has a PhD in Economic and Social Development, a Masters’ Degree in Agricultural Economics and an MBA in Leadership. Dr. Kabyemera has a rich professional grasp in Agricultural Development, Natural Resources Management/Climate Change and Development; and Policy Analysis and Development. Dr. Kabyemera also has a passion to writing – both professional and for leisure. His recent publication “Leadership Skills for the 21st Century – A Guide for Top Managers” has been read and appreciated in various leadership quarters across the Globe.
Dr. Christopher JACK
Researcher
 CSAG - University of Cape Town

Dr. Christopher Jack is a senior researcher in the Climate System Analysis Group (CSAG) at the University of Cape Town. He is also a researcher fellow in the African Climate Development Initiative, a research institute within UCT. Christopher's background in computer science and climate science with particular expertise in climate data management, climate downscaling, and climate services. Over the past decade Christopher has increasingly operated across the boundary between climate science and decision making across Africa. He currently leads the climate science activity with the FRACTAL project, a DFID/NERC activity exploring climate resilience in African cities. Christopher's passion is an ethical, defensible, actionable engagement between science and society.
Mr. Andre KAMGA FOAMOUHOUE
Chief of Climate and Environment Department
 African Centre for Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD)

Andre KAMGA FOAMOUHOUE comes from the coastal town of Douala, Cameroon, and currently serves as the Chief - Climate and Environment Programme at ACMAD. Andre has more than fifteen years of experience planning/developing/disseminating climate products and services with national, regional and global climate and development institutions or programmes (NMHSs, WMO, NOAA, ECMWF, IRI, ACMAD, Hadley Centre, UNECA, UNISDR, UNOCHA, World Bank, IFRC, ECOWAS, ECCAS, Niger river Basin Authority, Lake Chad Basin Commission, Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel, UNESCO, CGIAR/CIFOR, CGIAR/CCAFS, AMMA, RCOFS, RCC, MESA…). He has has more than five years of experience managing/coordinating WMO Regional Climate Centres and Climate services for building resilience projects in Africa funded by EU, US, Canada, UK, France, Japan and other developed countries international cooperation for development agencies/programmes. He also holds membership to various societies & committees.
Dr. Gerard Mark DOHERTY
Head of F-Lab Division
 European Space Agency (ESA)

Mark Doherty is a senior advisor in the European Space Agency’s Directorate of Earth Observation, based at ESA ESRIN Frascati, Italy. Mark has been leading ESA programmes to expand the use and benefits of Satellite observations of the Earth, by engaging with science, public and private sector user communities in Europe and worldwide. He led ESA’s first programme on GMES (now Copernicus) and in 2011 launched ESA’s Climate Change Initiative for the “Essential Climate Variables”. His current focus is how to realize the full scientific, societal and commercial potential of global satellite observations.
Ms. Anne Elisabeth LECLERC
Head of IFRC Sahel Cluster
 International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Socities (IFRC)

Ms. Anne E. LECLERC is based in Dakar, serving as Head of IFRC Sahel Cluster since May 2016, and brings a rich and varied experience to the Sahel region, both from the headquarters (Geneva) and the field. Before joining the Sahel region, Ms. Leclerc was the Head of the IFRC’s Regional Office for South-East Asia where she worked closely with the leaderships of the National Societies in that region, a position she had held for the past six years. Prior to this, she worked as the Head of the IFRC’s Regional Office for North Africa (7 years). She was also Head of Planning and Reporting in our European Regional Office in Budapest and earlier worked both in Geneva and several field positions including Nepal, Cambodia and Guinea Conakry. Anne holds a Doctorate degree in International Economic Law from University of Paris II.
Mr. Andrew LOSOS (Panel Chair)
Senior Sustainable Transport Specialist
 The World Bank Group

A specialist in sustainable transportation, Andrew Losos has over twenty years of experience in transport, fifteen in international development, and more than ten in climate change. For the past nine years he has been leading investment and analytical projects on climate change, transport, and sustainable development in Northern and Central Africa for the World Bank. Before joining the Bank, he worked for the Canadian Shipowners Association as Manager of Environmental Policy, and in the Canadian public service as a senior climate change policy analyst. Andrew holds a Masters’ of Environmental Studies from York University and a Bachelors’ of Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto. He has had a past career as a naval officer and has lived and worked in Haiti on a rural drinking water project.
Hon. Dr. Abdelkader IMARA
Minister
 Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics & Water; Kingdom of Morocco

Dr. Abdelkader Amara, appointed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water on 5 April 2017, was born in Bouarfa (Province of Figuig) on 28 January 1962. Dr. Amara was Minister of Industry, Trade and New Technologies from January 2012 to October 2013, then Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment from October 2013 to October 2016. During these two mandates, he oversaw structuring projects, including the implementation of Bombardier plant and the launch of the second production line of Renault Tangier. He developed and implemented structural reforms in the field of energy and mining, in particular the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, the reform of the artisanal mining activity and the creation of the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security as well as the Electricity Regulatory Agency.

Dr. Abdelkader Amara holds a Doctorate from the Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute in 1986, where he was a Professor until 2002. He also worked as a scientific advisor at the World Science Organization based in Sweden during 10 years. During his political career, Dr. Amara was elected as a Member of Parliament for Sala Al Jadida, Salé Prefecture, during four terms in 2002, 2007, 2011 and 2016. He was Chairman of the Productive Sectors Committee, Vice-president of the JDP Parliamentary Group and First Vice-president of the House of Representatives.
Hon. Jean Bosco NTUNZWENIMANA
Minister
 Ministry of Transport, Public Works & Equipment; Republic of Burundi

Mr. Kouassi Joseph N'GUESSAN
Chief Transport Engineer
 African Development Bank (AfDB)

Kouassi Joseph N'GUESSAN currently serves as the African Development Bank's (AfDB) Chief Transport Engineer, within the Infrastructure, Cities and Urban Development Department. He has been with the Bank for over ten years, serving as the Chief Transport Engineer for more than five. Mr. N'GUESSAN has 22 years of practical experience including 15 years as Head of Mission on project management in multidisciplinary teams and various areas: transport (roads, tracks, railway, port, airport, civil engineering works), urban planning and Development, rural infrastructure, hydraulic infrastructure. He holds both a Masters Degree and Civil Engineer Degree, whilst currently working towards a Doctorate in Business Administration.
Ms. Malaya ZUMEL
Regional Coordinator for Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific
 European Investment Bank (EIB)

Ms. Zumel is the European Investment Bank's Regional Coordinator for Transport in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Prior to this, she was adviser to EIB Management and held various positions at the Ministry of Finance of the Netherlands. Amongst others, she was the lead COP negotiator for Finance and the Treasury's senior representative for task forces on financing for development, climate change and energy, tasked with a pipeline of public and private sector projects inside and outside of Europe. As an economist and a social geographer, she also worked on these issues at staff and Board level at the EBRD the GCF, the IMF and the UN.
Mr. Aage JORGENSEN
Program Manager
 Nordic Development Fund (NDF)

Aage Jorgensen has for the past decade been Country Program Manager at the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) where he has helped built up a portfolio of climate change projects. He works with climate resilient infrastructure and urban development and is responsible for the NDF support to several countries in Africa and Central America. Prior to joining NDF in 2009, Mr Jorgensen worked for many years as a socio-environmental consultant to World Bank, Global Environment Facility, European Commission, Inter-American Development Bank, UN, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Danish Ministry of Environment, and NGOs. Mr Jorgensen holds a PhD equivalent degree in social anthropology from the University of Copenhagen.
Mr. Al-Hamndou DORSOUMA
Division Manager
African Development Bank (AfDB)

Al-Hamdou Dorsouma works as Manager for Climate and Green Growth Division within the African Development Bank. He is responsible for managing a team of Climate Change and Growth Officers and leading Bank’s efforts on climate change in Africa, including building climate resilience and low carbon opportunities into Bank’s investments, and supporting Bank’s engagement on climate resilience and green growth. His academic background is Geography and Environmental Management. Recently, Mr. Dorsouma worked as the Officer-In-Charge of the Bank’s Climate Finance Division, leading Bank’s climate finance initiatives, including the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environment Facility and the Climate Investment Funds, among others. Before that, he worked as the Team Leader for Energy Efficiency under the AfDB’s Presidential Task Force on the New Deal on Energy for Africa, after serving at various positions at the AfDB since 2009, including as Chief Climate Change Officer. He also worked for two other international organizations, namely the Observatory of Sahara and Sahel (OSS) from 2005 to 2009 as Environment and Climate Change Officer and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) from 2012 to 2014 as Senior Programme Manager for Resource Mobilization and Development Partnerships.
Mr. Peter SIDERMAN
PIP Advisor
 Partners in Performance

Peter has several decades of experience in business and advisory roles in Europe, the United States and Latin America. For the past eight years he has worked with Partners in Performance (PIP), the global operations effectiveness specialist. Previously he worked with the former German minister for the Economy, Wolfgang Clement, to create an institute focused on the future of work, based in Zurich, and also with McKinsey, the management consultancy. He holds an MBA with honors from the University of Chicago, as well as an M.Phil from Oxford University in Latin American Studies, and a BA in languages and area studies from Portsmouth University in the UK.
Mr. Linus MOFOR
Senior Environmental Affairs Officer (Energy, Infrastructure and Climate Change)
 UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)

Dr. Linus Mofor is a Senior Environmental Affairs Officer in charge of energy, infrastructure and climate change at the African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His work portfolio at the ACPC includes leading the Africa Climate Resilient Investment Facility (AFRI-RES) – a joint initiative of the ECA, World Bank, African Development, African Union Commission and the Nordic Development Fund. AFRI–RES aims to strengthen the capacity of African institutions (including national Governments, river basin organizations, regional economic communities and power pools, among others), as well as the private sector (project developers and financiers), to plan, design and implement infrastructure investments that are resilient to climate variability and change in selected sectors, thus enhancing the chances for investments and infrastructure to perform in both today’s and future climate. He joined the Commission from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) where he worked as a renewable energy innovation and technology analyst. Before joining IRENA, Linus was an industrial development expert with the Energy and Climate Change Branch of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna. Prior to working with UNIDO, he was a senior lecturer and consultant at the Centre for Engineering Research and Environmental Applications at the University of Glamorgan (now the University of South Wales) in UK.
Mr. Kumesh NAIDOO
Program Development Specialist
 Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Kumesh Naidoo has a Chemical Engineering Hons Degree from The University of Birmingham and an MBA from Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College. He is a Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa. He has occupied various positions in the renewable energy sector and currently occupies the position of Program Development Specialist, at the Project Preparation Division within the DBSA. In his current role, he is tasked with assisting both Public and Private sector access project preparation funding to conduct bankable feasibility studies for large infrastructure projects.