DIAMONDS

African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma speaks during a joint statement with French President Francois Hollande on October 5, 2015 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. AFP PHOTO / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN

Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma | South Africa | Public Office
As chairperson of the AU Commission – the policy-making and driving arm of the AU – this continental heroine runs the day-to-day cycle of what is considered Africa’s most influential body, the African Union.
One of her passions to steer the AU away from foreign dependence for funding African projects. This year she has been unrelenting in her call on “African captains of industry” to pledge larger amounts to accelerate self-sufficiency in the African Union.
In 2015, she has also been very active against human trafficking and the struggles of women

British-Nigerian Arunma Oteh, Treasurer of the ADB (African Development Bank), gives on June 18, 2008 in Paris, a press conference amid other aid campaigners to hammer G8 countries for falling far behind in aid pledges to Africa and urged France to take a stand as next EU president to end the “disgrace”.
AFP PHOTO BERTRAND GUAY

Arunma Oteh | Nigeria | Finance 
The former director of the Securities Exchange Commission of Nigeria was recently named vice president and treasurer at the World Bank. Doubtless she will be using her new role not only to ensure Africa in top on the World Bank’s agenda, but that the bank’s objectives are more aligned to the continent’s needs than has been the case in the past.





 

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf speaks during a women’s equality event March 9, 2015 in New York. Two women with global clout — Hillary Clinton and Melinda Gates — released a sweeping report on Monday showing that women are still far from winning equality in leadership positions. The “No Ceilings Full Participation” report is a review of progress made by women since the 1995 Beijing conference laid out a platform of action for achieving gender equality. The report was released at the start of a 12-day UN conference on women that will focus on women’s political power and their influence in economic decision-making. The report was compiled by the Clinton and Gates foundations, the Economist Intelligence Unit and the World Policy Center of the University of California in Los Angeles. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf | Liberia | Politics
The “Iron Lady” of Africa has overcome many hurdles to steer her country out of the devastations of years of civil conflict. 2015 tested her to a whole new level. As the leader of one of the three countries devastated by the outbreak of the Ebola virus, her guidance was at the heart of the response and solution the the crises. She resolutely stepped up to the task of fighting and beating the deadly virus against all odds, with Liberia the first to be declared Ebola-free on 3 September by the WHO.