At the occasion of the Women Deliver 2023 Conference (WD2023) taking place in-person in Kigali, Rwanda, as well as virtually, from July 17-20, there's no better time to talk about the women presidents - past and present - of Africa.
Two of them, former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Ethiopia's President Sahle-Work Zewde, are attending the conference in which women leaders and rights advocates inspire, and drive dialogue to achieve true equality, rights and dignity, for girls and women everywhere.
Africa has had 10 women presidents since 1993, and two of them are still in office. Let's look at each one of them, starting with the first.
1. Sylvie Kinigi, Burundi's Acting President (Nov 1993 - Feb 1994)
The first woman to be the president of an African country was Sylvie Kinigi, who led Burundi in an acting capacity in 1993.
Kinigi is a politician and economist who was born in 1952 in Burundi. She served as the country's prime minister from July 1993 to February 1994.
After the death of Melchior Ndadaye in a coup, Kinigi became Burundi's acting president in November 1993 until February 1994, when Cyprien Ntaryamira was elected by the National Assembly.
2. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, Acting President of South Africa
Born in 1937, Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri was a politician who became the second premier of the Free State and South Africa's Minister of Communications from 1999 until 2009.
In September 2005, she served briefly as South Africa's acting president. In 2008, the cabinet chose her as the constitutional and official head of state in an interim capacity.
She died in 2009.
3. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a Liberian politician and economist who was born in 1938 in Liberia.
After winning the election in 2006, Sirleaf became Liberia's president, a position she held until 2018. She was the second woman to be the president of an Africa, and the first to be elected into that position.
4. Rose Francine Rogombe, acting President of Gabon
Born in 1942 in Gabon, Rose Francine Rogombe was a politician and lawyer, who served as president of the senate from February 2009.
After the death of President Omar Bongo, Rogombe served as Gabon's president between June and October 2009.
Rogombe died in 2015, aged 72.
5. Joyce Banda, President of Malawi
Joyce Banda is a Malawian politician who was born in 1950. Banda served as Malawi's vice-president from 2009 until 2012.
Following the death of President Bingu wa Muthalika, Banda became president from 2012 until 2014.
6. Monique Ohsan Bellepeau, acting President of Mauritius
Agnes Monique Ohsan Bellepeau is a politician who was born in 1942. Bellepeau served as acting President of Mauritius from March to July 2012. When President Kailash Purryag resigned, Bellepeau again became acting president from May to June 2015.
7. Catherine Samba-Panza, acting President of Central African Republic
Catherine Samba-Panza is a politician and lawyer who was born in 1954. In 2014, she became the interim president of the Central African Republic until 2016.
8. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius
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Ameenah Gurib-Fakim is a Mauritian politician and biodiversity scientist, who was born in 1959.
She served as President of Mauritius from 2015 until 2018.
As a scientist, Gurib-Fakim has been recognized worldwide, receiving the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science, Laureate for the National and Economic Council, and the African Union Award for Women in Science.
9. Sahle-Work Zewde, President of Ethiopia
Sahle-Work Zewde is an Ethiopian politician and diplomat who was born 1950. In 2018, she was elected as president of Ethiopia by the members of the Federal Parliamentary Assembly. She is still in office.
10. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania
Samia Suluhu Hassan is a Tanzanian politician who was born in 1960 in Zanzibar. She became President of Tanzania in March 2021 after the death of President John Pombe Joseph Magufuli. She is still in office.
