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2019 Post Summit Report
Overview
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Conference Chair
Prof. Jamal SAGHIR
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. Nomvula MOKONYANE
Minister of Environmental Affairs
 Department of Environmental Affairs; South Africa

Ms Nomvula Mokonyane, a former Premier of Gauteng Province, matriculated at Masupatsela High School in Kagiso. She is a veteran of the struggle and participated actively in the fight against apartheid from the tender age of 15. She was an organiser in the Federation of Transvaal Women and a leader of the Kagiso Residents’ Organisation. She was also active in trade unions as a shop steward and leader of the Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union of South Africa (now SACCAWU). Since the advent of democracy in South Africa in 1994, Ms Mokonyane has served in a number of leadership positions in the ANC and its Alliance structures, including being a member of the Central Committee of the SA Communist Party; Executive Committee Member of the ANC Women’s League and National Executive Committee member of the ANC.

Minister Mokonyane served in the Gauteng Legislature from 1994 in various portfolio committees before she was appointed MEC of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment in 1996. She became MEC for Safety and Liaison from 1999 to 2004 and was appointed Housing MEC between 2004 and 2009. In 2009, after the general elections, she was appointed Premier of Gauteng. In 2014, she was appointed the Minister of Water and Sanitation, and in 2018, she was appointed Minister of Communications and later the Minister of Environmental Affairs.
H.E. Amb. Josefa Leonel Correia SACKO
Commissioner for 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.
Paul NOUMBA UM
Country Director - South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia & Zimbabwe; Africa Region
 World Bank Group (WBG)

Paul Noumba Um, a Cameroonian and French national, is the Country Director for South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. He holds a PhD in Economics from Rennes University, and Master’s Degrees in Engineering and Economics from France, and a BA in Engineering from the Cameroonian National Post and Telecom School. Um joined the Bank in 1998, coming from Orange Labs, in the then Energy, Mining, and Telecommunication Department, and subsequently held positions at World Bank Institute, the Middle East/North Africa Region, and Finance and Private Sector Development in Africa. He was most recently the Country Director for Mali, Niger and Chad.

In his new position, Um’s top priorities include providing strategic leadership for formulating programs that support the eradication of poverty and improve shared prosperity for the seven Southern African countries, foster relationships and work with internal and external development partners and stakeholders for better results.
Mohale RAKGATE
Group Executive - Project Preparation
Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Mr. Mohale Rakgate is the Group Executive: Project Preparation Division, at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). This role involves leading a team of experts and professionals to prepare projects from conceptual stages to financial close or implementation. This function is key to unlocking Africa’s full socio-economic potential through infrastructure development. The DBSA achieves this by collaborating and partnering with Regional Economic Communities, Governments, State Owned Companies, other Development Finance Institutions and Project Preparation Facilities, and the Private Sector. Mohale is also responsible for DBSA’s climate finance activities which include accreditation to access concessional funding from entities such as the Green Climate Fund and Global Environmental Facility in order to support the development of infrastructure projects. Prior to joining DBSA in 2007, Mohale was an investment professional with the International Finance Corporation based in Washington DC, working on infrastructure projects in various regions of the developing world.


Speakers
Benoît BOSQUET (Panel Chair)
Director - Environment & Natural Resources
 World Bank Group (WBG)

Benoît Bosquet is Director for Environment and Natural Resources at the World Bank. Prior to this he was the Practice Manager for Environment and Natural Resources in West and Central Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. He has coordinated global partnerships for climate change mitigation, including the Prototype Carbon Fund, BioCarbon Fund and Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. As a Task Team Leader he managed projects in Costa Rica and Mexico. He has lived in Russia and Madagascar, and has 25 years of experience working on environmental protection, natural resource management and humanitarian relief in developing countries and emerging economies (mostly in Africa, Europe and Central Asia, and Latin America). Benoît Bosquet is Belgian. He holds an M.A. in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a Ph.D. in Environmental Policy from the University of Maryland.
Alex SIMALABWI
Executive Secretary - GWPSA, Global Lead - Water Climate Resilience & Head of Africa Coordination Unit
 Global Water Partnership

Alex Simalabwi is the Executive Secretary of the Global Water Partnership (GWP) Southern Africa and Head of GWP Africa Coordination Unit. He is GWP’s Global Lead on climate resilience and Global Coordinator of the Water, Climate and Development Program at GWP HQ, an international organization set up by the World Bank, UNDP and government of Sweden. He is an international development professional with extensive experience and expertise in water resources management, climate change, economic development, investment strategy and public policy. He Co-Chaired the World Bank Expert Group on the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) that provided advice to the Bank on where to invest its climate funds among 34 countries worldwide. He served as UNDP Country Support Specialist for the Global National Adaptation Support Programme (NAP-GSP). He currently serves as the Climate Resilience Lead for the DFID Cities for Growth and Infrastructure Programme (CIG Zambia). He conceived, developed and leads a GWP global program on water and climate resilient investment preparation implemented across 60 countries spanning four continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and Caribbean.
Mamphela RAMPHELE
Co-President
 Club of Rome

Dr. Mamphela Ramphele - someone with a lifetime of achievement despite overwhelming challenges. She received her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Natal. In 1991 she received her PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Cape Town. She has also authored and edited a number of books. Dr. Ramphele was appointed to the post of Vice-Chancellor of UCT in September 1996. In 2000, she became one of the four Managing Directors of the World Bank, the first South African to hold this position. In October 2018 Dr. Ramphele was appointed co-president of The Club of Rome.
Islam Sabry AL ZAYED
Researcher & Senior Technical Officer ,National Water Research Center (NWRC)
 Ministry of Water Resources & Irrigation (MWRI); Egypt

Dr. Al Zayed is a researcher of hydrology and senior technical officer at the National Water Research Center, Egypt. He believes that achieving clean water and improving water use efficiency are crucial elements of development and poverty alleviation in developing countries. He has a strong engineering professional with a PhD focused on Hydrology and Integrated Water Resources Management from Leipzig University, Germany. He has a wide experience in both research and industry. His research includes modelling of rural and urban flash flood, water harvesting and irrigation water management. This is supported by a number of articles published in many peer-reviewed journals.
Manel SALVADO TENESA
Business Development Director Africa
 Almar Water Servicios Espana

Manel Salvadó Tenesa is Business Development Manager for Africa at Almar Water Solutions. With over two decades of experience in the sector. An expert in water management and planning. As an engineer, he is specialized on wastewater treatment works. He has developed projects in Africa for more than 10 years. Currently based in Johannesburg, we are working to accelerate water infrastructure delivery projects through the PPP model. Born in La Ràpita, Spain, Manel Salvadó Tenesa graduated in Industrial Engineering from the Catalonia Polytechnic University in Barcelona, and a BA program (PDD) in ESADE School in Barcelona.
Leonard MAGARA
Projects Director
 Climate Resilient Infrastructure Development Facility (CRIDF)

Leonard Magara, Projects Director at COWI A/S, is a qualified Arbitrator and Civil Engineer with a BSc Honours degree from the University of Zimbabwe. With a professional career spanning some 30 years, Leonard has participated in many infrastructure projects across Southern Africa, in the capacity of project engineer, project manager, financial advisor and project director. He has a very wide range of experience which he has effectively applied to direct several successful multifaceted projects. Leonard continues to play leadership roles in various major projects with key focus on contributing to the goals of attainment of MDGs, poverty alleviation, food security, economic development and regional integration in SADC. He has been the Engineering Director for the Climate Resilient Infrastructure Development Facility from inception. ‘Infrastructure is at the core of Climate resilience’ – is Leonard’s favourite quote!
Declan CONWAY
Professorial Research Fellow, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change & the Environment
 London School of Economics & Political Science

My research cuts across water, climate and society, with a strong focus on adaptation and international development. Originally a geographer, I draw on insights from different disciplines to pursue problem focused research. I have over 20 years’ experience working in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia (particularly China). My research funding has included the EU, UK departments DFID, Defra and DECC, UK NERC and ESRC, US NSF and the World Bank. My current research interests focus on developing counties and include the Food-Water-Energy Nexus and Water Security, Adaptation and Climate Change. Declan is Chair of the NERC-ESRC-DFID Programme Executive Board of UPGro, Unlocking the Potential for Groundwater in sub-Saharan Africa, he was Co-Editor-in-Chief of Global Environmental Change (2010-2017) and is Theme Leader on Sustainable Development at the Grantham Research Institute.
Charles REEVE (Panel Chair)
Team Leader
 Climate Resilient Infrastructure Development Facility (CRIDF)

Dr. Charles Reeve has more than 35 years of experience in climate resilience, the last 21 of which have been spent in Southern Africa. He has a PhD in atmospheric sciences, led the European Commissions’ integrated water resources management work in the Southern Africa Development Community between 2001 to 2009 and has been Technical Director and Team Leader of the Climate Resilience Infrastructure Development Facility since its inception in 2013. He is an eminent and recognised Project Director, Manager and Team Leader with experience of project preparation, management and evaluation for international organizations such as Department for International Development (DFID), the European Commission (EC), World Bank, United Nations (UN) and World Food Programme (WFP). He recently co-edited “Building Climate Resilience through Virtual Water and Nexus Thinking in the Southern African Development Community.
Hon. Batio BASSIERE
Minister
 Ministry of Environment, Green Economy & Climate Change; Burkina Faso

Mr. BASSIERE Batio holds the Diploma of Tax Inspectors obtained in 2009 at the National School of Financial Regulators (ENAREF) of Burkina Faso. Since 19 January 2016, Mr. BASSIERE has been promoted Minister of Environment, Green Economy and Climate Change of Burkina Faso. Its action is particularly focused on the green economy, resilience to climate change and the preservation of the environment. Mr. BASSIERE Batio also has a rich experience in politics. He was elected several times to the National Assembly of Burkina Faso.
Kanta Kumari RIGAUD (Panel Chair)
Lead Environment Specialist, Regional Climate Change Coordinator - Africa Region
 World Bank Group (WBG)

Kanta Kumari Rigaud is a Lead Environmental Specialist, and Regional Climate Change Coordinator in the Africa Region of the World Bank Group. She leads the work on the Africa Climate Business Plan and NDC Engagement in Kenya and Uganda. She works on climate policy, knowledge management, and development of tools and learning platforms to manage climate risks. She led a multidisciplinary team on the Bank's pioneering flagship report on Groundswell - Preparing for Internal Climate Migration and on the Turn Down the Heat report series. She has worked with multiple client countries as the Bank's Focal point for the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience working to mainstream climate resilience into core development planning and for transformation at scale. She has a doctorate from the University of East Anglia in the UK. She serves as co-chair of the Technical Working Group on Environmental Change and Migration in KNOMAD.
Abderrahmane KHECHA
Senior Policy Officer ,Department of Rural Economy & Agriculture
 African Union Commission (AUC)

Jean B. MUKUMWA
Monitoring & Evaluation Officer,Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience - National Project Coordination Unit (PPCR NPCU)
 Ministry of National Development Planning; Zambia

Jean Mukumwa is a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for the Zambia Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) in the National Project Coordination Unit in the Ministry of National Development Planning. She holds a Master’s degree in Economic Policy Management from the University of Zambia. Jean provides support in monitoring and evaluation of all strengthening climate resilience projects under the PPCR. She has over 5 years experience in project design and implementation at both national and community levels, with a focus on development, climate change adaptation and resilience.
Prof. Barbara EVANS
Chair of Public Health Engineering, and Co-director - Centre for Global Development
 University of Leeds

A chartered engineer with a second degree in Development Economics, Professor Barbara Evans holds the chair in Public Health Engineering in the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds. She works on sanitation, hygiene and water services in the global south with a particular focus on urban sanitation in cities and towns. Professor Evans’ career spans 30 years; she worked as a consultant and at the World Bank for over twenty years before joining the University of Leeds in 2009 and has lived and worked in South and East Asia, Africa and Latin America. Professor Evans now leads a multi-disciplinary team working on global development and public health. She is Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Water and Waste Infrastructure and Systems Engineered for Resilience (Water-WISER).

Barbara has published widely on urban WASH services, planning, costing and financing of sanitation. In addition she has been the chair of the Strategic Advisory Group of the United Nations Joint Monitoring Program for Water and Sanitation and is actively engaged in tracking both increased rates of access and quality of WASH services in low- and middle-income countries; and was recently awarded the International Water Association Development Research Prize.
Linus MOFOR
Senior Environmental Affairs Officer (Energy, Infrastructure & Climate Change)
 UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

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.
Aage JORGENSEN
Program Manager
 Nordic Development Fund (NDF)

Aage Jorgensen has for the past decade been 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, Asia 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.
Jasper COOK
Chief Technical Adviser
 UKAID-DFID Funded ReCAP Programme

Dr. Jasper Cook is a Chartered Geologist and a member of the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transport. He has an undergraduate degree in Geology, an MSc in Engineering Geology and a PhD in Civil Engineering. He has over forty-five years of experience as an engineering geologist/ geotechnical engineer/climate resilience specialist primarily in the fields of infrastructure development, capacity building and research management. Over 30 years of this time has been spent on projects with emerging nations in Africa and Asia. Dr Cook is currently the Chief Technical Adviser to the UKAID-DFID funded Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP) initiative. In addition, he is currently advising the World Bank on climate resilience issues for multiple projects in Tanzania, Vietnam, and Laos.
Worknesh Mekonnen GONET
Director & Representative to the AU
 UNOPS Ethiopia Operational Hub (Ethiopia, Sudan & Djibouti)

Mrs. Worknesh Mekonnen Gonet currently serves as Director of the UNOPS Ethiopia Operational Hub (Ethiopia, Sudan & Djibouti), and Representative to the African Union (AU). In her role, Worknesh provides overall strategic & operational leadership to the three Hub countries, strategic positioning & visibility of UNOPS’s work and proactive engagement in networking and partnerships with all relevant host country, bilateral, multilateral, NGOs and private sector partners. She is responsible for resource mobilization and ensures a consistent and balanced portfolio growth of all Hub countries, and the systematic monitoring of quality delivery and partner satisfaction through ensuring operational excellence of operations at all levels. Worknesh spearheads the Operational Hub as an active member of the broader UN Country Team (28 agencies) member, representing UNOPS with the AU and playing an active role as part of the UN Liaison Team.
Jonathan FIRST
Lead Product Innovation Specialist,Product Innovation
 Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Andrew DOWELL (Panel Chair)
CEO
 GRV Global

Andrew Dowell is the co-founder and Executive Director of GRV Global – a bespoke B2B event organiser, operating in Africa and the LAC region. With over 20 years of experience in event production management, Andrew oversees the production of all events throughout the year across a number of industries, including: climate resilience, disaster relief and national security. Previously, he was Board Director for 15 years at the Cavendish Group, connecting international suppliers with BRIC customers through an extensive range of high-quality media products both online and offline.
Neil ROBERTSON
Managing Director
 Innovation Africa Limited

Neil Robertson hails from New Zealand and has being living in Uganda for the last 15 years. Prior to establishing Innovation Africa Limited in Uganda, his background was in Project Engineering primarily large Civil and Industrial size mechanical engineering projects across the wider Pacific region. Since establishing Innovation Africa in 2006, Neil has specialised in rural off-grid water projects providing turnkey solutions from smaller irrigation type systems up to town water distribution systems. This involves design, construction of infrastructure and buildings, pipe transmissions and distributions including the solar generation systems. Neil's clients include U.N organisations, Regional State and foreign governments, international NGOs, and a growing private sector portfolio.
Gary BROWN
Regional Consultant
 Cambi

Gary Brown is an experienced professional water practitioner with over 25 years engagement within the water sector, across Africa. Key areas of focus include industrial and municipal water and biosolids treatment with a large input into compliance, operational performance and business development. The identification of appropriate technologies and solutions by Gary has allowed ongoing engagement with international technology developers. This includes the advanced anaerobic sludge digestion Thermal Hydrolysis Process developed by Norwegian based Cambi AS. The process enhances organic waste digestion, producing extra biogas and a safe stable end product for direct agricultural use.
Colin LINDEQUE
General Manager
 Namibia Biomass Industry Group (N-BiG)

Colin holds an MBA in Bioentrepreneurship and Biobusiness, from Copenhagen Business School, Denmark, and Honours and Bachelor’s degrees in Biotechnology from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He has been involved with the Namibia Biomass Industry Group (N-BiG) since its launch in early 2016, becoming the General Manager in 2018. His responsibility is to grow the association, develop new market opportunities and overcome the current challenges and bottlenecks within the sector. Colin also serves as a Director of the Namibia Charcoal Association. Since its inception, N-BiG has grown steadily in size, currently representing over 60 members, including harvesters, processors, farmers, equipment suppliers, engineering firms, environmental compliance firms, financial services providers, investors, power generation companies and others.
Jasandra NYKER
Chief Executive Officer
 BioTherm Energy Pty Ltd

Ms Nyker is the Chief Executive Officer of BioTherm Energy, the leading African renewable energy independent power producer. Under her leadership, the business has grown from 4MW in PPA’s to over 450MW’s of secured PPA’s. BioTherm has expanded its development activities to build a pan African business by winning projects in Zambia, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Iviore and Ghana, and has also won large scale projects with some of the leading global mining companies. Prior to BioTherm, Ms Nyker led the direct investment arm of the PCG Clean Energy Fund based in California. She has also worked for Booz Allen where she was instrumental in structuring and investing a clean energy investment fund on behalf of a Middle Eastern National Oil Company. She also worked Lehman Brothers in London, as well as Brait Private Equity in South Africa. Ms. Nyker holds an MBA from London Business School, where she was a Merrill Lynch Scholar and is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. She has been listed in the Power Elites 2017.
Romain PY
Head of Investments
 African Infrastructure Investment Managers Pty Ltd

Romain leads the African Infrastructure Investment Managers (Pty) Ltd (AIIM) Investment Team and is responsible for originating and executing investments across the African continent. He has an in-depth knowledge of infrastructure sub-sectors and was one of the founding members of the JPMorgan Infrastructure Investments Group. Romain has played a key role in AIIF3 investments and represents AIIM as a director on the boards of African Ports & Corridors Holdings, DSM Corridor Group and AIIM Hydroneo.
Gerard MARGARIT
Business Development Manager
 GMV Aerospace and Defence S.A.U.

Gerard Margarit was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1979. He received the Electrical Engineering degree in 2002, the Advanced Studies Degree in 2004, the MERIT MSc. Degree with Remote Sensing Specialization in 2007 and the PhD degree with European Mention in 2007, all from the Technical University of Catalonia (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) UPC (Barcelona). During the university stage, he carried out teaching activities to undergraduate students and got the proper official recognition for being university professor. At 2018, he got an Executive MBA degree from EAE in Barcelona.

Since 2008, he is enrolled in the Remote Sensing Services and Exploitation Platforms Division of GMV, a Spanish international holding with large expertise in satellite ground segment, mission control and payload data processing. After some years running project manager tasks, he was promoted to Section Head and Business Development Manager of the Division at 2016. Since then, his main duties are devoted to arrange international agreements, develop proposals and build the mid-term strategy of the division. In the scientific domain, the main interests are driven towards the conceptualization, development and exploitation of added-value remote sensing based services at different fields of practical applications, such as agriculture, forest, maritime security, climate change or land use land cover.
Chris WHYTE
Managing Director
 USE-IT

Chris Whyte is MD of USE-IT, an NPO based in Durban mandated with maximising waste diversion through innovation and technology that results in jobs and economic development. To date USE-IT has created nearly 2600 Jobs in the waste economy and won multiple national and global awards for their waste innovation. Currently USE-IT have multiple projects ready for commercialisation that will have a massive impact on the economy that meet the objectives of a climate resilient continent in applications benefitting infrastructure, housing, energy, water, biodiversity and social upliftment through waste beneficiation and low carbon transition.
Jean-Pascal TORRETON
Head of IRD-CNRS-Cirad Joint Office in South Africa
 IRD - Research Institute for Development; France

Recruited by IRD (formerly ORSTOM) in 1982, Jean-Pascal Torréton has been working in aquatic microbial ecology for 29 years on a wide range of brackish and marine ecosystems: coastal lagoons in Ivory Coast (1983-89), Tropical Atlantic Ocean (1990-91), Pacific atoll and island lagoons (1992-2007), coastal waters of Vietnam (2008-2010). The IRD (The French National Institute of Research for Sustainable Development) takes an original approach to research, expertise, training and knowledge-sharing, to the benefit of countries and regions that make science and innovation key drivers in their development. As representative of IRD in Vietnam, he was administratively responsible of IRD staff in Vietnam, with tasks such as scientific diplomacy, prospective, scientific animation and networking, contribution to fund raising… This function was extended to The Philippines in 2012, and Jean-Pascal was regional coordinator of IRD in Asia between Nov. 2013 and Dec. 2016. Mr. Torréton has been head of the IRD-CNRS-CIRAD joint office in South Africa since July 2017. Based in Pretoria, this office is in charge of South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe for the IRD, of Southern Africa for the CNRS, and is the national contact point in South Africa for CIRAD.
Werner MARITZ
Director Industry Strategy
 Oracle Construction and Engineering

Werner Maritz is a member of the Industry Strategy team at Oracle Construction and Engineering Global Business Unit with a specific focus on Public Sector and Infrastructure development programs. As a Certified Cost Professional, he has a passion for the digital transformation of the Project and Construction Management disciplines with a keen interest in the role BIM will play in this field to improve profitability, manage project risk and reduce construction cost.

Werner has more than 20 years of experience in project management and controls systems across Natural Resources, Infrastructure Development, Public Sector and Engineering & Construction industries. He has consulted extensively in public sector on the design and implementation of public infrastructure project management and monitoring solutions and work closely with development financing institutions to ensure adequate project governance systems are implemented for funded projects.
Louis Sourou BOSSA
Deputy Director of Programming & Foresight
 Ministry of Living & Sustainable Development; Benin

Engineer Economist Planner, Mr. BOSSA Sourou Louis hails from Hozin, commune of Dangbo in the department of Ouémé. He studied at the National Institute of Economics (now National School of Applied Economics) where he obtained in 2003, his Diploma of Higher Technician in Planning and later in 2009, his Master II in Project Planning and Management. After 7 years of service at the Cotonou City Council where he held major positions of responsibility, Mr. BOSSA was admitted in 2010 to civil service in the body of the engineers of planning. Currently, he is the Deputy Director of Programming and Foresight at the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (MCVDD) after being successively in charge of monitoring the Urban Management Support Program and Head of the MCVDD Monitoring Unit.
Mahama KAPPIAH (Panel Chair)
Executive Director
 ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency (ECREEE)

Currently, Executive Director of the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), Mr. Kappiah holds an MSc Degree in Engineering with over 25 years of experience working on issues related to energy, environment, climate change and sustainable development in West Africa and beyond. A skilled communicator who regularly speaks at major events, and a board member for key international energy organisations, including the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century and the Clean Energy Solutions Centre. Mr. Kappiah received the African Energy Leader of the Year Award for outstanding performance and innovation in the energy industry, and the Green Future Leadership Award for leading positive social change, both in 2017. Prior to his current position, he was Head of the ECOWAS Energy Division and a Senior Planning Engineer at the Volta River Authority, Ghana.
H.E. Dr. Yasmin FOUAD
Minister
 Ministry of Environment; Egypt

Dr. Yasmine Fouad is Minister of Environment of the Arabic Republic of Egypt. Her expertise is in Environment and International cooperation with more than 18 years’ experience working in Government, in UN organizations, NGOs and Universities. She holds her MSc in Environmental Science and PhD in Political Science / Euro Mediterranean Studies. She had gained an extensive experience in climate change issues through her diversified work with academic, government and non-government organizations and International organizations. In this context, she supported the Earth Institute in designing a Center of Excellence for Adaptation to Climate Change and supported the AMCEN President in leading and managing the two climate change initiatives mainly the African Adaptation Initiative (AAI) and African Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI). Moreover, she supported the Nile Basin Discourse – a regional NGO- in designing a proposal and policy paper on the impact of climate change on water resources in the Nile Basin.

Throughout her position as Assistant Minister of Environment, she supported the Minister of Environment in preparation of Africa portfolio for the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt in his capacity as Coordinator of Committee of African Heads of States for Climate Change (CAHOSCC) from 2015-2017. She has represented the AMCEN President in the Steering Committee of the Clim-Dev Africa and has been a co-chair of the NEPAD Regional Flagship Programmes Steering committee as well as Lima Climate Finance meeting in 2015. In addition, she supervised the work of the climate change projects in Egypt and co-chaired the Climate Change and Environment sub group with the AfD to oversee the work of the development partners in climate change in Egypt
Chris ANTONOPOULOS
CEO
 Lekela

Chris has extensive experience in developing power and infrastructure projects in Africa, having overseen initiatives valued at more than $4 billion combined. He was appointed as CEO of Lekela in March 2015 by the board. Before joining Lekela, Chris spent eight years as Group Vice President at Bombardier Transportation, one of the largest rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry companies in the world. Based in Berlin, he was responsible for close to $10 billion in global sales and business development. Swiss-born, Chris has been active in the energy and infrastructure industry since 1987 in sales and business development positions, including senior management positions at ABB, the leading global electrical engineering group. During an 11-year spell at the company, his roles included Business Area President for ABB Equity Ventures, Regional VP for Asia Pacific and Regional VP of Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Sosten ZIUKU
Director for Energy Conservation & Renewable Energy
 Ministry of Energy; Zimbabwe

Dr. Sosten Ziuku is the Director for Energy Conservation & Renewable Energy in the Ministry of Energy, Zimbabwe. Before joining Government, he was a Principal Scientist at the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development (SIRDC) in Harare. He got his Doctorate from the University of Fort Hare where he researched on Energy Efficient solar buildings. He is also an academic, renewable energy and Energy efficiency expert with experience spanning over 10 years.
Mwayi MKANTHAMA
Environmental Officer,Environmental Affairs Department
 Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy & Mining; Malawi

Mwayi Mkanthama is an Environmental officer responsible for Environmental Education and Outreach in the Environmental Affairs Department in Malawi. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Science and Technology from The Polytechnic of the University of Malawi. He has experience in environmental education, communication and outreach; He has attended several national conferences and workshops including Symposiums on topics to do with Climate Resilience. He has special interest in issues to do with energy management and developing capacity of youth to have an elevated understand of environmental management and climate change issues.
Bruna CONSIGLIO
Business Developer
 Foundation Rural Energy Services

With a background in International Public Administration, Bruna Consiglio has focused her work on development projects and academic research. Over the past seven years she has worked on projects ranging from youth economic empowerment to fair trade in developing countries. After contributing to projects from Leiden University and the Delegation of the European Union to Brazil, she assumed the position of Business Developer at Foundation Rural Energy Services, where she administers projects in five African countries involving solar home systems and solar mini-grids.
Merrick KERR
Chief Commercial Officer
 Energy Vault

Merrick has worked in the energy industry for most of his career with over 10 years in renewables, mostly wind and solar. Merrick has had both finance and commercial roles and has played a major part in the deployment of over 1 GW of wind and solar. Merrick received his BSc in Social Sciences from the University of Edinburgh in the UK and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.
Kannan LAKMEEHARAN
Partner
 McKinsey & Company

Mark CACKLER (Panel Chair)
Practice Manager - Agriculture Global Practice Africa Region
 World Bank Group (WBG)

Mark Cackler joined the World Bank in 1981, after working as an Overseas Representative for John Deere Intercontinental, Ltd. Initial assignments in the World Bank included agriculture and natural resources units for East Africa, China, Indonesia and the Pacific Islands, and in the World Bank's New Delhi Office, where he led the World Bank’s commercial agriculture portfolio in India. In 2000, he was appointed Manager of the Agriculture and Rural Development for Latin America and the Caribbean, and in 2007 Mr. Cackler was appointed Manager of the central agriculture and rural development department, where he managed World Bank global programs and partnerships for agriculture and food security, including the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), the Global Food Safety Partnership, the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development, AgriFin (on agricultural finance), AgResults (on private sector innovations), and other programs dealing with climate smart agriculture, agricultural technology, gender in agricultural livelihoods, livestock, and agricultural risk management. In May 2015, Mr. Cackler was appointed as Manager for the unit responsible for World Bank activities dealing with agricultural transformation in Africa.
Hon. Onyoti Adigo NYIKWEC
Minister
Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security; South Sudan

Hon. Onyoti Agido Nyikwec is the current Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Republic of South Sudan. With over 14 years of political experience, he began his parliamentary career in 2005 as a member of the Sudanese National Assembly whereby he served as the spokesperson of the parliamentary caucus for three years. Previously, he served as the Leader of the Opposition of the South Sudan Legislative Assembly and has held his position as National Minister of Agriculture and Food Security since 2017. Broadening his experience, Hon. Nyikwec has travelled extensively to participate in forums on agriculture and the green revolution.
Hon. Vangelis Peter HARITATOS
Deputy Minister
 Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate & Rural Resettlement; Zimbabwe

Honourable Vangelis Peter Haritatos was born on 8 April 1986, at Redcliffe Medical Centre. He is married and has 3 children. He did his primary school education at Eiffel Flats Primary School in Kadoma, Zimbabwe and went to Jameson High School in Kadoma before completing his studies at Harare International School. Honourable Haritatos enrolled at John Cabot University in Rome, Italy where he majored in International Affairs and International Economics, whilst doing a joint programme with the University of Wales. He then moved to Kansas State University where he completed two degrees with honours, a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Bachelor of Science in Economics. During that period, Honourable Haritatos also studied Business Administration, graduating from that university in 2007, before returning to Zimbabwe. Honourable Haritatos is a renowned businessman and was appointed Deputy Minister for Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement in September 2018.
Afeikhena JEROME
Special Advisor to the Commissioner for Rural Economy & Agriculture
 African Union Commission (AUC)

A Professor of Economics from the Igbinedion University, Okada, Nigeria, Afeikhena Jerome has over two decades experience working on policy issues across Africa. He has previously worked for the Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO, Nov 2015 to Dec 2017); the Department for International Development (DAI) assigned to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Abuja (Feb 2011- Jan 2016), the UN Development Programme / NEPAD Secretariat as Inaugural Coordinator for Economic Governance & Management, African Peer Review Mechanism Secretariat, Midrand, South Africa (Jun 2006 – Jan 2011). Professor Jerome has held several distinguished positions including Visiting Scholar, International Monetary Fund; Visiting Fellow, the World Bank; Senior Associate Member, St. Anthony’s College, Oxford University UK; Research Associate, Institute for World Economics & International Management (IWIM), University of Bremen, Germany, and member of the Strategic Studies Group (SSG), the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), Harare, Zimbabwe. He has consulted extensively for the World Bank, African Development Bank, UN Economic Commission for Africa, International Monetary Fund, UN-HABITAT, ILO, UNIDO, Brookings Institute and ACBF.
Majola MABUZA
Programme Officer - Policy
 Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU)

Majola Mabuza is a Programme Officer responsible for Policy at the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU). Prior to joining SACAU, he worked in the public sector where he was responsible for agricultural planning and development and later in academia. As an agricultural economist, his major areas of research interest include institutional economics of farmers’ organisations, food security, and the economics of non-conventional agricultural enterprises.
Jack Jones ZULU (Panel Chair)
Economic Affairs Officer,Urbanisation & Development Section
 UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

Dr. Jack Jones Zulu currently serves UNECA's Urbanisation & Development Section as Economic Affairs Officer. His research interests cover institutional economics and social development. He has co-authored several publications on debt sustainability, labour productivity and health in Africa. He has been a consistent member of the World Economic Survey Group (WES) since 2010, one of the leading economic research institutes based in Germany widely quoted by the global media. In 2018 he was appointed to the UN Board of Specialised Examiners for Young Professional Programme (YPP) for Social Affairs. Jack Jones Zulu has a PhD in Economics from the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. He has taught economics at the University of Zambia.
Lisa JUNGHANS
Climate Finance & Urban Resilience Expert
 GIZ / eThekwini Municipality

Geoff TOOLEY
Senior Manager - Catchment Management
 GIZ / eThekwini Municipality

Professional Civil Engineer with 31 years of experience working for the municipality in Durban in the stormwater sector.
Barry MAHER (Panel Chair)
Senior Risk Financing Specialist
 World Bank Group (WBG)

Barry Maher is a qualified actuary with experience in the non-life insurance sector, the carbon and renewable energy markets, financial inclusion as well as disaster risk financing. From a Lloyds of London reinsurance syndicate, to a carbon market insurance agency, to the UN, he now works in the Africa region for the Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Global Practice of the World Bank. Key activities undertaken in his current role include leading policy dialog and developing customized financial solutions with Ministries of Finance to improve their financial resilience to shock events; leading the development of analytical tools which support Ministries of Finance in their selection of financial instruments, including insurance, to protect their fiscal position against shock events. Currently, he based in Pretoria and coordinates for disaster risk finance work in the Africa region for the World Bank, focusing on developing disaster risk finance solutions to support shock-responsive safety nets and agriculture insurance programs. Barry holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Actuarial and Financial Studies from the University College of Dublin and a Masters in Statistics from the University of Oxford.
Alimata BAKAYOKO NEE KONE
Permanent Secretary
 National Commission of the GEF, Ministry of Economics & Finance; Cote d'Ivoire

Mrs. KONE B. Alimata, an Economist-Financial-Environmentalist, elevated to the rank of Officer of the National Order of Côte d'Ivoire. Alimata serves as Permanent Secretary of the National Commission for the Global Environment Facility (CN/GEF), GEF Operational Focal Point for Côte d'Ivoire, since 2012. She started her professional career at the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC (1982 -1985) as Economist, Technical Assistant to the Administrator in charge of French-speaking countries. Mrs. KONE worked at the Caisse Autonome d'Amortissement (CAA), now the National Bank of Investment (BNI) where she held the position of Head of the Department of Sustainable Development from 2006 to 2012. From 1985 to 2006, Alimata held the successive positions of Head of the Foreign Debt Service (CAA), Head of the Management Service of the following National Funds: the National Environment Fund (FNDE), the Tourism Development Fund (FDT) , The Fund for Support and Promotion of Crafts (FAPA), the National Fund for Drainage and Sanitation (FNAD), the National Fund for Urban Sanitation (FPPSU), and at the same time exercised the role of GEF Operational Focal Point for Côte d'Ivoire (1992-2019). As such, it has enabled Côte d'Ivoire to benefit from several national, regional and global projects.
Isabel LEROUX
Program Manager
 Nordic Development Fund (NDF)

Isabel Leroux is a Program Manager at the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), where her focus is on developing NDF’s private sector financing activities. Her areas of expertise include project preparation and project finance in multiple sectors, including infrastructure, logistics, forestry, among others. Prior to joining NDF, Ms Leroux worked in various positions at Finnfund, the development finance institution owned by the Government of Finland.
Muhammed SAYED
Climate Finance Specialist
 Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Dr. Muhammed Sayed is a Specialist in the Climate Finance Unit at the DBSA. Muhammed's role is to provide strategic advice to the bank regarding access to various climate financing mechanisms (e.g. GEF, GCF etc.) which includes conceptualization and development of proposals responsive to the priorities of the DBSA such as the establishment of a Climate Finance Facility. He provides advisory services to all the Bank's sectors regarding Climate Change matters and maintains continuous dialogues with relevant external climate change partners on behalf of the bank.

Before joining the Climate Finance Unit, he was a Principal Investment Officer for the National Green Fund in South Africa which was managed by the DBSA. Muhammed has extensive experience in Venture Capital and assisted numerous high growth SMMEs and innovators across diverse sectors including Advanced Manufacturing, ICT, Energy and Biotechnology. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science.
Tom ANDERSEN
Head of EIB Regional Representation for Southern Africa & the Indian Ocean
 European Investment Bank (EIB)

Tom Andersen took over the position as Head of EIB Regional Representation for Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean based in Pretoria (South Africa) in September 2017 covering SADC excluding DRC and Tanzania. Tom has more than 20 years of experience as a private sector development specialist and prior to his current assignment, he was working as a Lead Industry Economist within the European Investment Bank, in charge of project assessments for the Petrochemicals, Heavy Industry and Mining Sectors worldwide, but mainly in Africa. From 2012 to 2015 Tom was Head of EIBs Regional Representation for the Near East region covering operations in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the Gaza strip. Before joining the EIB Tom was working in Corporate M&A and Business Development within an industry conglomerate and in the pharmaceutical sector. In 2010, and 2013, Tom was appointed independent expert to the European Commission.
Birungi KORUTARO
Country Team Leader - Uganda
 Kilimo Trust

Dr. Korutaro is a development practitioner passionate about enterprise development in the areas of market access, trade facilitation and intra-regional trade. She is a development specialist with more than 18 years in project management, research, value chain development and financing, designing and managing enterprise development interventions for different funding and implementing agencies in East and South Africa. Dr Korutaro has vast experience working with the public and private sectors, civil society and development partners. Her sector experience is in the Agriculture, Tourism and Oil sectors. She has a PhD in Business Management and Administration, a Master’s in Business Administration and Bachelor of Statistics Degree. Currently, she is the Country Team Leader of Kilimo Trust Uganda.
Kofi ASUMADU
Head of Guarantees & Specialized Finance
Afreximbank

Kofi Asumadu Addo is a seasoned professional with over 23 years’ experience in the banking industry. He is the Head of Guarantees and Specialized Finance and leads the Bank’s relationship with global Export Credit Agencies (ECAs), Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and Multilaterals by leveraging development finance to support trade and economic development programmes of the Bank across Africa. He is also responsible for the Bank’s guarantee programme. Prior to joining Afreximbank, he was the Senior Manager in charge of Finance at the Ghana Commercial Bank. He was an adjunct Lecturer at the University of Ghana and the University of Education, Winneba, and also served as a moderator for the National Board for Professional and Technician Examination (NABPTEX) in accountancy and finance related subjects for Polytechnic Higher National Diploma (HND) examinations in Ghana. He is a Chartered Accountant and a graduate from Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK, University of Sorbonne, Paris-France and University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He is currently a doctoral research associate at the Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK.