November 19, 2019 – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: The African Union Commission’s Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E. Amb. Josefa Sacko has been awarded the Prix De La Fondation 2019 by the Crans Montana Forum in Belgium, for her efforts towards modernizing African Agriculture and empowering rural African women.

 

Amb. Sacko was awarded the prestigious prize at an awards ceremony during the Crans Montana, African Women’s Forum on 16 November 2019, held under the theme “African Women Embody Universal Values, a model for their youth and also for the whole world.” 

 

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo was the other recipient of the prize.

 

Since 1986, this prestigious Prize has been presented to a number of high level Dignitaries who dedicated their life and activities for building a more Humane World.

 

In her acceptance speech, Amb. Sacko dedicated the award to Africa’s Rural Women, saying, “Let me acknowledge the millions of rural women who are in the frontlines of the struggle against all social ills against them. This recognition I dedicate to and share with them. They have inspired me with their commitment to the cause of liberating themselves from all different types of discriminations.”

 

Earlier this year, Amb. Sacko was also named as one of the 100 top Influential People in Climate Policy in 2019 by Apolitical, a peer-to-peer learning platform for governments for her efforts towards influencing climate policy on the continent.

H.E. Amb. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, an Angolan national, is a leading African Agronomist.

 

Prior to her election as Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, she was the Special Adviser to two Ministers in Angola, the Angolan Minister of Environment where she served as Goodwill Ambassador responsible for Climate Change; and advisor to the Minister of Agriculture; where she oversaw Food Security, Eradication of Hunger and Poverty Reduction. She also served as Secretary General of the Inter African Coffee Organization (IACO) for 13 years in Cote D’Ivoire where she represented 25 African Coffee producing countries.

 

 

Communications Contact:

Ms. Carol Jilombo

Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture

Jilomboc@africa-union.org