EU-Africa Business Forum - Africa-EU Green Talks on "Accelerating the EU-Africa Partnership for Green Energy Transition in Africa"

Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid is the African Union Commissioner in charge of Infrastructure, Energy, ICT and Tourism. For more than 30 years, Dr Abou-Zeid, an Egyptian nation, has served in leadership positions in international organisations and has amassed a remarkable mix of experience from across continents and stakeholders. She has managed AfDB largest operational portfolio and implemented national and continental multi-sectoral development programmes, including implementing the world’s largest solar power plant. In 2018, she launched the Single African Air Transport Market, delivering on the first flagship project for African Integration under African Union Agenda 2063. This year, she launched Africa’s digital transformation strategy and many other continental initiatives and projects. Dr Abou-Zeid has a multi-disciplinary education: Electrical Engineering, Cairo University; MBA, Université Senghor; MPA, Harvard University; and Ph.D. Social and Economic Development, The University of Manchester.

In his current role, Frans Timmermans oversees the EU’s ecological transition making Europe the first climate-neutral continent. He started his career in the Dutch Ministry of Affairs where he served in several roles both at home and abroad. He eventually served as the Dutch Minister of European Affairs and Minister of Foreign Affairs. In between, he also gained experience working in the Commission. Prior to his current position, he was the First Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Better Regulation, Intern-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Kandeh Yumkella mobilises global action and plays a leading role for the planning and implementation of ground-breaking initiatives towards a sustainable energy future. Kandeh Yumkella is a distinguished development economist and an expert in agricultural economics with over 25 years of international experience. He is actively engaging relevant stakeholders in government, businesses, academia and civil society at the highest level to advocate for and promote sustainable energy for all. As former chair of UN-Energy, he brought a renewed and vital focus to global energy issues and led the coordination of the United Nations response to energy issues. Previously, Dr. Yumkella served as Director-General of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) for two four-year terms. He is currently a member of the National Parliament in Sierra Leone.

Tamsin Rose is a facilitator who was until recently a senior fellow for health at Friends of Europe. Having studied international relations, she has 25 years of experience working across the European continent from Ireland to Mongolia. A natural communicator, Tamsin has been a radio reporter, worked on press for the EU Delegation in Moscow and is currently a member of the external speaker team for the European Commission Directorate-General for Communication, describing how the EU works and key policies to visitor groups from around the world. Since 2002, she has specialised in public health and public participation issues, serving as the Secretary General of the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), and providing strategic advice for health groups on how to engage successfully with the EU.