Pape Amadou Gaye
Founder and President, Baobab Institute
Pape Gaye is a lifelong advocate for health workers, strong health systems, and access to health care for all. Under his leadership as president and CEO of IntraHealth International, the organization made human resources for health a crucial part of the worldwide conversation on global health. Gaye drew on three decades of leadership in international health and development as he oversaw work in around 40 countries to strengthen their health workforces and health systems. During his watch, IntraHealth led two of the US government’s flagship human resources for health projects (the Capacity Project and CapacityPlus) and established official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO). Gaye has long advocated for a greater focus on the health workforce. In May 2016 at the World Health Assembly, the WHO and member states responded to such advocacy efforts with the first-ever global health workforce strategy, Workforce 2030.
Ms. Mame-Yaa Bosomtwi
Stakeholder Management Officer for the WHO Cervical Cancer Initiative
Ms. Mame-Yaa Bosomtwi is the Stakeholder Management Officer for the WHO Cervical Cancer Initiative; the Global Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer. Her most previous role was as Executive Secretary of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) from 2018 to January 2021.
She has professional experience in public health, international development, and private sector; at Biomerieux,a diagnostic company based in France, she was the Africa region Head of Public Health, and at Sanofi, a pharmaceutical company, she was a Global Health Policy Analyst. She has expertise in managing health projects and initiatives in rural and urban areas. This includes her role as a program manager for a mHealth project in Ghana called MoTeCH. Her personal, academic and professional development is built on a solid foundation in public health, advocacy, research, communications and political science.
She has a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) from Columbia University in New York City, and a second Masters in Development in Practice form Science Po, Paris. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Trinity University in Washington, D.C.
Guy Francis Boussafou
Head of Patents and Technical Creations (DBCT), OAPI
Mr. Boussafou is currently the Head of Patents and Technical Creations at the African Organization for Intellectual Property (OAPI). Before joining OAPI in 2010, he worked for four years at Centre 4M de Santé du Diagnostic et de l’Expertise in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo (Congo). And he worked for six years as a Quality Manager and Lab Manager at BAB factory (Boissons Africaines de Brazzaville).
In 2016, he oversaw the organization of the 1st edition of the “Awards de la Marque OAPI” in Yaoundé, Cameroun. He also managed the organization of the 7th and 8th African Exhibition of Invention & Technical Innovation (SAIIT).
Mr. Boussafou is a chemical engineer and holds a degree in International Industrial Studies Diploma in “Patents” obtained at CEIPI (Center for International Intellectual Property Studies), a branch of the Université de Strasbourg, France.
Dr. Karim Bendhaou
Head of Africa Bureau, Merck group and IFPMA Africa Engagement Committee Chair
Dr. Karim Bendhaou (MD, MBA) previously served as President of North and West Africa operations (40 countries of Africa) for Merck for over 18 years and now heads the Africa Bureau and coordinates all of Merck’s corporate, strategic and executive decisions in Africa. A real pioneer, he has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for almost 22 years, building up strong pan-African organizations, gaining extensive experience in biotech medicines and biosimilars, and leading a successful enterprise; all the while keeping the patient in mind and increasing the commitment of the organization to the SDG’s and to high ethical values. Through the various corporate social responsibility projects, he has worked together with governments and non-governmental organizations to assure access to treatment. He holds a Doctorate in Medicine from Algiers and Paris, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.
Professor Awa Marie Coll-Seck
Minister of State of Senegal and Chair of the scientific committee for the Galien Forum Africa
Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck is currently Minister of State of Senegal after serving for 5 years as Minister of Health and Social welfare. She is the Chair of the scientific committee for the Galien Forum Africa. She has served on multiple Boards of Directors including the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, the Clinton Health Access initiative and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Malaria Strategic Advisory panel. She is also the co-chair of the WHO-UNICEF Commission on Child Health and Wellbeing. Prof. Coll-Seck was previously the Executive Director of the RBM Partnership to end Malaria and the Director of the UNAIDS Department of Country and Regional Support. She has been awarded numerous professional and academic honours and is an honorary member of the Academy of Sciences and Technologies of Senegal and the author of more than 150 scientific publications.
Dr Abdourahmane Diallo
Chief Executive Officer, RBM Partnership to End Malaria
Dr Abdourahmane Diallo was appointed as Chief Executive Officer for the RBM Partnership to End Malaria in 2019. He brings vast experience and strong leadership skills to the RBM Partnership, having worked in leading roles at the national, regional and global levels on a range of key public health issues.  ,Before joining the RBM Partnership, Dr Diallo served as Minister of Health for Guinea from 2016 to 2018, dealing with the Ebola crisis and subsequent rebuilding of the national health system. He has also developed health and supply chain systems in more than 20 African, Caribbean and Asian countries. Dr Diallo is a medical doctor and he also holds a Master’s degree in International Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
Yacine Djibo
Founder and Executive Director, Speak Up Africa
Yacine Djibo founded Speak Up Africa in 2011 with one goal in mind: to discover and implement effective, sustainable solutions to the most challenging problems facing the African people. Focusing on strategic communications, policy and advocacy, Speak Up Africa is dedicated to empowering African leaders and citizens to take on issues such as malaria, neglected tropical diseases and sanitation in order to save and improve lives. Previously, Yacine worked as the Senegal country director for Malaria No More, where she developed and managed several high-profile national programs to promote malaria prevention and treatment. She built and maintained relationships with national and local government officials; designed and oversaw the distribution of lifesaving commodities countrywide; and cultivated partnerships with private-sector companies, media outlets, musicians and celebrities to develop marketing programs that raise awareness about malaria. Yacine earned her bachelor’s degree in international relations and her MBA from Boston University.
Dr. Moredreck Chibi
Regional Innovation Adviser, WHO Regional Office for Africa
Dr Chibi is coordinating the implementation of the Transformation Agenda to accelerate the implementation of WHO reforms within the African Region. He is the brains behind the first WHO Innovation Challenge. He is also serving as a chair of the Regional UN Interagency technical experts on leveraging emerging technologies and digital transformation for inclusive growth and development in Africa. Before moving to the Regional Office, he worked as Technical Officer in WHO based in Geneva, Switzerland, where he was part of the team coordinating the implementation of the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation Management and Intellectual Property. His passion and career is committed to international development that is geared to implement sustainable innovative home-grown solutions to address health challenges in Africa. He holds an Executive MBA in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship from Switzerland. He has a PhD in Medical Biotechnology from Cape Town, South Africa. He has more than 15 years’ experience in research, development and innovation in the health sector.
Elizabeth (Lizz) Ntonjira
Global Communications Director
Lizz Ntonjira is currently the Global Director of Communications at Amref Health Africa, the largest health development organisation in Africa. She is also a youth advocate and the author of the book #YOUTHCAN, a collection of powerful, inspiring and challenging stories from youth breaking barriers across 22 African countries. For her work across various sectors, she has received numerous awards including being listed as one of the 100 Most Influential Young Africans. Lizz is committed to changing the African narrative by showcasing compelling stories that reflect Africa’s improving development agenda. Lizz holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, a post-graduate Professional Diploma in Public Relations from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the UK, and a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Strathmore Business School. She is also a Public Policy Fellow from Virginia Commonwealth University in the US, and a recipient of former US President Barack Obama’s Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders (2015).
