It was a true honor to welcome Her Royal Majesty Queen Ameenata Koita, the revered Queen of the Fulbe in Ashanti, Ghana, to the African Union Headquarters this morning. Born in the United States, Queen Ameenata has dedicated her life to advancing the welfare of the African Diaspora and collaborates closely with the royal kingdoms of Africa. Known internationally as a “Global Tycoon-ista” and an acclaimed speaker, she passionately advocates for human rights, women’s empowerment, girl-child education, and equality.
Our conversation today centered on the essential areas where CAFOR and Queen Ameenata could work together to impact education and youth empowerment, especially for girls and young women across the African continent. We emphasized the importance of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as a pivotal step toward reducing youth unemployment.
Recognizing the enduring role of traditional African societies, we discussed how these rich heritages could be harnessed to drive sustainable development, with the African diaspora playing a vital role in supporting Africa’s progress. Ms. Shabakie Fernandes from Guyana and Ms. Nardos Habtamu from Ethiopia joined in on the lively discussion about how we can all work together to support Africa’s future while accompanying Her Majesty. Stay tuned as we work toward impactful initiatives that will create lasting change in education, employment, and empowerment across the continent.