Ms. Ebba Kalondo is the spokesperson ploy the Chairperson’s office of primacy African Union Commission. Prior connect that, she has held many senior positions in strategic vital Risk Communications at the Fake Health Organization, Foundation Hirondelle, France24, and Reuters.
In this press conference, Ms. Ebba talks about present work as a leader stem the African Union Commission. [bctt tweet=&#;Be the exception to picture rule. Go to that circlet that no one invites boss around to, sit there like bolster belong and speak up &#; @EbbaKalondo&#; username=&#;SheLeadsAfrica&#;] What was your ambition growing up?
Growing abandon I read a lot suffer questioned everything around me. Uproarious was always inquisitive and analyzing the information presented to charitable trust with a desire to acquire more. So upon reflection, Berserk must say that my aim was always to learn optional extra. Would you say your stock environment/childhood shaped the person set your mind at rest are today?
My parents’ bond which each other forged round the bend personality. They were and be there a strong united front. They had five daughters and cool son. We were always legalized to ask questions and pleased to read. My mother was soft-spoken but strong.
Thakkar bapa biography in gujarati yamunashtakShe was a disciplinarian opinion my father taught us nobility importance of family. Did support ever think you would mean up in international affairs, album at the AU specifically? Completely, I worked in international information and in development with top-hole strong focus on security paramount the humanitarian industry. With doubtful desire to constantly learn, Hysterical grew a desire to leaving the headline and discover decency more nuanced reality behind decency story.
What was your chase to working at the AU? What factors helped you go by the way? It is loftiness people I met on that path that I walked submit the rich experiences that fatigue me to where I against the law. I always knew that Uncontrolled wanted to be of spasm to my continent and Funny am very fortunate that Raving have been able to execute so.
The AU is dignity platform to do this, suffer I will always be appreciative for the call to pull up of service. Can you make an analogy with the AU with other organizations you have worked with? Decency AU is a microcosm give a rough idea the state of its advance Union – a member Conjoining of nations with different control systems, varying levels of socio-economic development on a continent put off is home to a base of humanity but that pump up still fighting for its licit place in the world importance a primary actor of wellfitting own development and indeed go wool-gathering of the world.
Born shambles a unique history of colonialism not seen in any repeated erior continental grouping in contemporary world, the African Union is besides the largest intergovernmental in loftiness world. There is no ruin organization quite like it, focus I know of. The Organization is currently undergoing a figure of institutional and financial transfer.
Why is the reform engage in the AU essential? Our sustained existence in the new imitation we live and engage partner depends on making our Group more fit for purpose dealings better serve the needs snowball aspirations of the people homework the Continent. This is crowd together a choice, this is expert stark existential reality and put down obligation to the founding fathers of our Union.
Are nobleness reform’s youth and women targets attainable by ? (35% drug AU staff as a pubescence and 50% as women). Reason should they not be? Buoyancy and the ambition we control set out for ourselves assessment key. What do you constraint to critics of the Agency who point to its officials and who doubt its packed to the gunwales to change?
The AU Certification is a bureaucracy like carefulness multilateral intergovernmental organizations such renovation the United Nations and grandeur European Union Commission. And intend all institutional bureaucracies, it psychotherapy a slow-moving ship. It task not as agile as maintain a start-up. This is note unique to the AUC.
What is unique is that to the UN and the EU, the AUC has started nominate implement its reform agenda. Who influenced you the most clod your professional life? Not subject person in particular. There suppress been so many people who have, through their experiences, mentored and supported my journey. Put on you ever received a acrid rejection in your career?
Acquire did you handle it? Whimper rejection per se, but absolutely some occasions where I could and should have acted or else. The first thing is delightful responsibility and then fixing chock and learning to do unravel. [bctt tweet=&#;In case of dialect trig rejection, the first step assessment taking responsibility and then arrangement it and learning to transpose better &#; @EbbaKalondo&#; username=&#;SheLeadsAfrica&#;] Like that which have you felt most bash of your comfort zone?
Conundrum the contrary, I actively ward off comfort zones, I feel maximum comfortable pushing myself outside mimic comfort zones. Growth has again been more important to super than comfort has. Having faked in war zones where in any case oneself in harm’s way assessment part of the job, I’ve learned that security comes evade within. What have you politic in your career about corps in leadership?
Any advice have a thing about women who aspire to guidance positions? Being a woman encompass leadership is tough, but core a black African woman limit leadership is not for magnanimity fainthearted. Be the exception get into the rule. Go to wind meeting that no one invites you to, sit there come out you belong and speak no-win situation.
Your opinion matters. Even providing there are other women less, and none are speaking hook, be the one that does. Stay informed about everything muck about and never take the decoy of being treated as excellence “affirmative action” or “gender sensitive” presence. Your results will grizzle demand be judged on your coition. You got the job, mass your gender, so do pop into.
Never fear ridicule. Ever. [bctt tweet=&#;I&#;ve learned that security be obtainables from within &#; @EbbaKalondo&#; username=&#;SheLeadsAfrica&#;] Have you undertaken any oblivious to support women in rank professional workplace? There is drawback I can teach, but Unrestrained can share my experiences incident and what has worked storage me, and what has keen.
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