This archive report was first published on 8 July 2019.
On July 8, 2019, Kenya secured her seat in the steering committee of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) for a period of two years, representing the East African region for the third time.
First Lady Margaret Kenyatta co-chaired the 23rd OAFLAD General Assembly meeting with First Lady Sika Bella Kaboré of Burkina Faso in Niamey, Niger. The meeting saw the nomination of Rwanda from East Africa, Burundi and Congo to represent Central Africa region, Mozambique and Namibia for Southern African while Niger and Sierra Leone will represent West Africa.
Members of the steering committee drive the mandate of the organization and oversee its affairs. They represent OAFLAD and ensure its promotion in their respective regions. The steering committee is also in charge of implementing the decisions of the General Assembly.
First Lady Antoinette Sassou Nguesso of Congo was elected as the new President of OAFLAD, taking over from First Lady Sika Bella Kaboré. First Lady Margaret Kenyatta handed over the position of Vice President to First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe.
The theme of the 23rd OAFLAD General Assembly was ‘Collaborating to Transform Africa, Addressing the Needs of Vulnerable Populations’. To strengthen the operations of OAFLAD, the First Ladies agreed that approved strategies regarding the collection of membership fee arrears should be strictly implemented to give the organization a strong financial base.
OAFLAD was previously known as Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) with the objective of providing a united voice for Africa’s most vulnerable groups living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. It rebranded to OAFLAD early this year, expanding its scope of work to incorporate a broader range of development issues affecting the continent.
