UN and AFLEX Partnership to Elevate Leadership and SDG Efforts in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA – The United Nations in Ethiopia and the African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX) have officially agreed to join forces to bolster leadership development and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This collaboration was formalized through a letter of intent (LOI) signed by Ramiz Alakbarov, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, and Zadig Abreha, President of the African Leadership Excellence Academy. The signing ceremony took place today, marking a significant step forward in the concerted effort to address critical challenges in Ethiopia and across the African continent.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, this partnership is poised to tackle six key areas identified as transformative entry points with the potential to significantly impact the realization of the SDGs. These areas include improving food systems, enhancing access and affordability of energy, expanding digital connectivity, advancing education, creating jobs and social protection, and addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. This collaboration aims to uplift the capacity and skills of civil servants and various stakeholders in social policies, with a broader vision of cultivating a new generation of leaders dedicated to achieving the SDGs in Ethiopia and throughout Africa.

Alakbarov highlighted the importance of this initiative, stating that it will provide a strategic framework for identifying and nurturing future leaders who will steer Ethiopia’s development, with an emphasis on youth and marginalized groups. He underscored the partnership’s grounding in the African context as pivotal for realizing the SDGs on the continent.

On his part, AFLEX President Zadig Abreha shared his vision for the academy as a nexus where academic excellence intersects with practical worldly knowledge. He emphasized AFLEX’s role as a bridge builder among academia, civil society, public and private sectors, African leaders, and between Africa and the global community. The aim is to produce world-class leaders who can drive change not only in Ethiopia but across the continent.

Abreha also expressed his appreciation for Alakbarov’s support and dedication in bringing this “memorandum of action” to fruition, signaling a commitment to moving beyond intent to tangible action in leadership development and the pursuit of the SDGs.