Vera Songwe

Songwe holds a PhD in Mathematical Economics from the Center for Operations Research and Econometrics and a Master of Arts in Law and Economics and a Diplôme d’études approfondies in Economic Science and Politics from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uneca.org/pages/biography|title=Biography {{!}} United Nations Economic Commission for Africa|website=www.uneca.org|access-date=2019-04-17}}

Songwe worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and simultaneously had a visiting professor's appointment at the University of Southern California.{{cn|date=June 2023}}

In 1998, Songwe joined the World Bank, where she worked in the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management (PREM) unit, covering Morocco and Tunisia.{{cite news|url=http://www.jeuneafrique.com/mag/289690/economie/a-ifc-vera-songwe-passe-chevet-secteur-prive/|title=À IFC, Vera Songwe passe au chevet du secteur privé|last=Oury Diallo|first=Amadou|author2=Omer Mbadi|date=11 January 2016|publisher=JeuneAfrique.com|language=fr|access-date=15 January 2016}} Over the subsequent years, she filled several roles in the PREM unit for East Asia and the Pacific region. In 2010, Songwe was part of the World Bank Group team that raised a historic US$49.3 billion dollars in concessional financing for the low income countries of the world as part of the International Development Association (IDA) 16th replenishment.

From 2011 to 2015, Songwe was Regional Director Africa covering West and Central Africa for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Country Director for Senegal, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, and Mauritania.Mark Landler (July 31, 2014), [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/01/us/politics/african-leaders-coming-to-talk-business-may-also-be-pressed-on-rights.html African Leaders Coming to Talk Business May Also Be Pressed on Rights] New York Times. Her main areas of interest are fiscal policy, innovative financing mechanisms for development, agriculture, energy and economic governance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.brookings.edu/experts/vera-songwe/|title=Vera Songwe|date=2015-09-04|website=Brookings|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-17}}

In 2011, Songwe was involved in Africa 2.0, an initiative to bring young Africans together to aid in the continent's economic development.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/12/world/africa/africa-2-0-entrepreneurs/|title=Africa's emerging leaders launch 2020 growth vision|last=Sesay|first=Isha|author2=Teo Kermeliotis|date=12 October 2011|work=CNN|access-date=15 January 2016}} She is a scholar at the Brookings Institution,{{cite news|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d18e758a66cf48fcb5b14101cebb53a7/he-heads-africa-obamas-electricity-plan-jeopardy|title=Obama's top initiative to aid Africa is now in jeopardy|last=Lederman|first=Josh|date=23 July 2015|agency=Associated Press|access-date=15 January 2016}} at its Africa Growth Initiative.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-to-announce-expansion-of-electrification-in-africa/2014/08/05/5b241554-1cab-11e4-82f9-2cd6fa8da5c4_story.html|title=Obama to announce expansion of electrification in Africa|last=Eilperin|first=Juliet|date=5 August 2014|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=15 January 2016}} Forbes listed her in 2013 as one of the "20 Young Power Women in Africa",{{cite news|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2013/12/04/the-20-young-power-women-in-africa-2013/#2715e4857a0b3320d3797231|title=The 20 Young Power Women In Africa 2013|last=Mfonobong|first=Nsehe|date=4 December 2013|work=Forbes|access-date=15 January 2016}} and the following year the Institut Choiseul for International Politics and Geoeconomics chose her as one of their "African leaders of tomorrow".{{cite news|url=http://www.businessincameroon.com/public-management/2708-5582-after-the-world-bank-cameroonian-vera-songwe-becomes-the-ifc-resident-representative-to-senegal|title=After the World Bank, Cameroonian Vera Songwe becomes the IFC resident representative to Senegal|date=27 August 2015|work=Business in Cameroon|access-date=15 January 2016}} In 2015 she collaborated with the newly-founded Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme, which pledged $100 million for African start-up companies.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/05/business/elumelu-entrepreneurship-program/|title=African entrepreneurs boosted by billionaire investor|last=Court|first=Alex|date=23 January 2015|work=CNN|access-date=15 January 2016}}

In July 2015, Songwe was appointed Regional Director of the IFC for West and Central Africa.{{cite news|url=http://en.starafrica.com/news/ifc-appoints-vera-songwe-regional-director-for-west-and-central-africa.html|title=IFC Appoints Vera Songwe Regional Director for West and Central Africa|date=1 July 2015|publisher=AfricaStar|access-date=15 January 2016}}

Songwe took up her role as the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on 3 August 2017 at the level of Under-Secretary-General.

In June 2020, Songwe and others – Nobel laureates in Economics, architects, chefs and leaders of international organizations – signed the appeal in favour of the purple economy ("Towards a cultural renaissance of the economy"), published in Corriere della Sera,{{cite web|language=it|url=https://www.corriere.it/cultura/20_giugno_07/per-rinascimento-culturale-dell-economia-dcacbef2-a803-11ea-b900-84da2a1f22a9.shtml|title=Per un rinascimento culturale dell'economia|date=7 June 2020|access-date=22 June 2020|work=Corriere della Sera}} El País{{cite web|language=es|url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2020-06-07/por-un-renacimiento-cultural-de-la-economia-el-manifiesto-de-una-veintena-de-intelectuales-para-una-nueva-epoca.html|title=Por un renacimiento cultural de la economía|date=7 June 2020|access-date=22 June 2020|work=El País}} and Le Monde.{{cite web|language=fr|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2020/06/07/en-depit-de-son-importance-croissante-le-culturel-n-a-pas-suffisamment-ete-pense-comme-un-ecosysteme_6042057_3232.html|title=En dépit de son importance croissante, le culturel n'a pas suffisamment été pensé comme un écosystème|date=7 June 2020|access-date=22 June 2020|work=Le Monde}}

On 22 August 2022, Songewe announced her resignation from UNECA.{{cite web | url=https://uneca.org/stories/vera-songwe-steps-down-as-eca-executive-secretary | title=Vera Songwe steps down as ECA Executive Secretary | United Nations Economic Commission for Africa }}

She is also a member of the African Union Institutional reform team under the direction of the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, and a board member of the African Leadership Network, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and ID4Africa.[https://id4africa.com/advisory-board/ Advisory Board] ID4Africa.

In early 2021, Songwe was appointed by the G20 to the High Level Independent Panel (HLIP) on financing the global commons for pandemic preparedness and response, co-chaired by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Lawrence Summers.[https://www.mef.gov.it/en/ufficio-stampa/comunicati/2021/The-G20-establishes-a-High-Level-Independent-Panel-on-financing-the-Global-Commons-for-Pandemic-Preparedness-and-Response-00001/ Ministry of Economy and FinanceThe G20 establishes a High Level Independent Panel on financing the Global Commons for Pandemic Preparedness and Response] Ministry of Economy and Finance, press release of January 27, 2021.

1. Statement by the Executive Secretary at the Fourth Conference of Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration, Lusaka, Zambia, 07 December 2017{{Cite web|url=https://www.uneca.org/pages/speeches-0|title=Speeches {{!}} United Nations Economic Commission for Africa|website=www.uneca.org|access-date=2019-04-17}}
2. Statement by the Executive Secretary at the opening of the African Economic Conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 04 December 2017
3. Statement by the Executive Secretary at the opening of the Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA-2017), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 14 November 2017
4. Statement by Dr. Vera Songwe, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UNECA at the Opening Session of the 18th Executive Council Meeting of the Extraordinary Summit on the African Continental Free Trade Area{{Cite web|url=https://au.int/en/speeches/20180319/statement-dr-vera-songwe-united-nations-under-secretary-general-and-executive|title=Statement by Dr. Vera Songwe, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UNECA at the Opening Session of the 18th Executive Council Meeting of the Extraordinary Summit on the African Continental Free Trade Area {{!}} African Union|website=au.int|access-date=2019-04-17}}
5. Closing the Tech Gender Gap

1. "Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa's Transformation"{{Cite journal|date=June 2018|title=Statement by Vera Songwe: theme: "Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa's Transformation": draft|url=http://repository.uneca.org/handle/10855/24475}}

1. [https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2019/03/22/africa-finance-ministers-conference-discusses-importance-of-digital-economy-to-continent/ Africa Finance Ministers conference discusses importance of digital economy to continent]
2. [https://www.afrikmag.com/la-mauvaise-gouvernance-tue-les-jeunes-africains-selon-la-fondation-mo-ibrahim/ La mauvaise gouvernance tue les jeunes Africains selon la Fondation Mo Ibrahim]
3. [https://www.modernghana.com/news/924650/strengthening-national-accounts-sdgs-and-employment-at-the.html Strengthening National Accounts, SDGs And Employment At The Heart Of ECA-Egypt Bilateral Meeting]
4. {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20190424050117/https://www.busiweek.com/mo-ibrahim-african-migrations-are-an-opportunity-not-a-crisis/ Mo Ibrahim: African migrations are an opportunity, not a crisis]}}
5. [https://www.pulse.ng/bi/politics/3-important-issues-aliko-dangote-raised-about-continental-free-trade-agreement-in/h3zd280 Concerns have emerged as Africa nations move to ratify the biggest free trade agreement, African Continental Free Trade Agreement in May 2019.]
6. [https://southerntimesafrica.com/site/news/lack-of-domestic-revenue-crippling-african-economies Lack of domestic revenue crippling African economies]
7. [https://www.mercatornet.com/demography/view/half-of-the-worlds-population-growth-is-african/22376 Half of the world’s youth will be African]
8. [http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201904/08/WS5caab300a3104842260b4db3.html Africa urged to speed up digitization]
9. [https://anba.com.br/conferencia-discute-investimentos-na-economia-digital/ Conferência discute investimentos na economia digital]
10. [http://en.rfi.fr/africa/20190407-it-s-poor-governance-not-migration-killing-africa-s-youths-mo-ibrahim-forum-weekend Poor governance is killing Africa’s young people - Mo Ibrahim Foundation]
11. [https://guardian.ng/business-services/africa-fintech-association-launched-in-morocco/ Africa Fintech association launched in Morocco]
12. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190417195913if_/https://www.uneca.org/sites/default/files/NewsCoverageFiles/pdf_eco_dev_n_118.pdf Économie et développement]
13. [http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201904/04/WS5ca506f2a3104842260b44c7.html Africa's free trade area comes into force as Gambia ratification]
14. [http://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/gambia-ratifies-afcfta-putting-it-into-motion/ Gambia ratifies AfCFTA, putting it into motion]
15. [https://afriqueactudaily.com/index.php/2019/04/02/les-gouvernements-africains-pries-dadopter-la-transformation-numerique/ Les gouvernements africains priés d’adopter la transformation numérique]
16. Identifying and addressing land governance constraints to support intensification and land market operation: Evidence from 10 African countries{{Cite journal|date=2014-10-01|title=Identifying and addressing land governance constraints to support intensification and land market operation: Evidence from 10 African countries|journal=Food Policy|language=en|volume=48|pages=76–87|doi=10.1016/j.foodpol.2014.03.003|issn=0306-9192|doi-access=free|last1=Deininger |first1=Klaus |last2=Hilhorst |first2=Thea |last3=Songwe |first3=Vera }}

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