Abuja to host global women in diplomacy summit

Abuja is set to host a gathering of women of African descent who are shaping global diplomacy.

Held under the theme “Deepening Inclusive Diplomacy,” the summit will celebrate 50 trailblazing women whose impact spans top government roles, international institutions, and diplomatic missions around the world.

This high-level event builds on Afri Diplomat’s recently released “Women in Diplomacy” edition, which features the Power List: 50 Women of African Descent in Global Diplomacy. 

The summit will serve as both a celebration of excellence and a forum for dialogue, creating a space where accomplished women in diplomacy can connect, reflect on their journeys, and advocate for greater inclusion of women in global decision-making.

Among the distinguished Nigerian honorees are Amb. Judith Seffi Attah, Nigeria’s first female Permanent Secretary in both the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs and the country’s first Minister of Women Affairs; Minister of Foreign Affairs for States, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization; Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission; Dr. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Ms. Adefunke Adeyemi, Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Commission; and Nobel Peace Prize nominee and youth advocate, Zuriel Oduwole.

The Power List also features formidable figures from across the African continent and the diaspora, including Ethiopia’s Dagmawit Moges Bekele, Ghana’s Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, South Africa’s Lerato M. Mataboge, Namibia’s first female President Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Costa Rica’s former Vice President Epsy Campbell Barr, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, AU Deputy Chairperson Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi, and Jamaica’s Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith.

Headlining the event are Minister of Foreign Affairs for States, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim. The summit, according to organizers, is not only a recognition of excellence but a powerful statement on the need for gender equity in diplomacy.

Editor-in-Chief of Afri Diplomat, Sòókò Deji Ajomale-McWord, emphasized the urgency of gender inclusion, noting that out of over a hundred ambassadors on foreign missions to Nigeria, only eight are women. He said the event is a step toward changing that narrative by drawing attention to the imbalance and inspiring a new generation of women leaders in diplomacy.

With its focus on visibility, advocacy, and recognition, the Afri Diplomat Summit of Women of African Descent in Global Diplomacy marks a significant moment in the global conversation on inclusive diplomacy and the elevation of African women’s voices on the world stage.