The
African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced the appointment of Ms Oley
Lucretia Clara Dibba-Wadda as Director of Human Capital, Youth and Skills
Development with effect from July 1, 2017.
A
citizen of the Republic of The Gambia, Ms. Dibba-Wadda is a social development
executive and strategic analyst with over 20 years of leadership and management
experience. She is an expert in African and international policies on
education, gender equality and youth development.
“Oley
is a well-respected leader in the field of education and her leadership has
been inspiring in mobilizing African decision makers to focus on human capital
and youth development on the continent. Her extensive experience, passion and
commitment to the education of girls and skills development for the youths,
will help advance the Bank’s focus on building Africa’s workforce of the future
and creating jobs for the youths,” said Akinwumi Adesina, President of AfDB.
Before
her appointment, she was the Executive Secretary of the Association for the
Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) - a pan-African Institution (hosted
by the African Development Bank). She had earlier worked as the Executive
Director of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), a pan-African
organization for promoting the education of girls across sub-Saharan Africa.
She had also worked as the Executive Director of Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS)
- an Africa-wide organization on women, peace and security in Africa.
Ms.
Dibba-Wadda has held several other management and advisory roles in various
international development agencies, including Oxfam, Great Britain, the
Commonwealth Education Fund and Concern Universal. She is a Global Ambassador
for 10X10 and Concern Universal and chairs and sits on several Advisory Boards
and Committees.
A
certified life coach, Ms. Dibba-Wadda has over the past 19 years been providing
coaching and mentoring support on emotional life skills to several youths
across the African continent. She is the founder of the Gam Africa Institute
for Leadership (GAIL) in The Gambia and a strong advocate and champion for
youth development in Africa.
In
recognition of her exemplary contribution towards human development, she was
awarded the “Inspiring Woman of Excellence” in 2012 and the “African Woman
Leadership” in 2013. She was one of the nominees for the “2017 New African
Woman in Education.”
She
holds a Master’s degree in Gender Analysis in Development from the University
of East Anglia in the United Kingdom and a Diploma in Gender and Development.
