Baroness Valerie Ann Amos
British Diplomat and politician, Baroness Valerie Ann Amos, is scheduled to speak in Accra on the impact Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU) will have on Africa.
DGN Online understands that the public lecture is scheduled for March 22, 2019 at the Kofi Annan Centre for ICT Excellence.
The lecture is being organized by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Ghana.
In a release issued by its vice president, Kabral Blay-Amihere, the Council noted the lecture would be the first of its “Distinguished Lecture Series.”
It said “Baroness Amos will speak on the topic: “Does the retreat from multilateralism create new opportunities for the African continent?”
Officials of CFR expect the topic to be of interest to diplomats, journalists, students and the business community who are keen to understand the implications of Brexit to businesses, the release noted.
The deadline for Britain exiting the EU is March 29, 2019.
It added that “Baroness Amos is currently Director of the School of Oriental and African Studies, (SOAS) University of London. Between 2010-2015 she served as under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the UN.”
According to the release, “in 2003 Baroness Amos became the first black female British Cabinet member, initially as Secretary of State for International Development, and subsequently as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council.
She was Minister for Africa in 2001-2003. Prior to joining the UN, Baroness Amos was High Commissioner to Australia.”
It observed that “Baroness Amos also served as Chief Executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission in the UK, and as Adviser to the Mandela Government in South Africa on leadership, change, management and strategy between 1994 and 1998.
The Government of Ghana awarded her the Order of the Volta in 2008, and in June 2016 she was made a Companion of Honour in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in Britain.
CFR-Gh was inaugurated in February by President Akufo-Addo. It is Ghana’s first think tank on international relations. Its President is Ambassador D.K. Osei, a retired diplomat and public servant.
BY Melvin Tarlue