Dr. Vera Songwe, an African development expert, has been appointed by the Vatican to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. Dr. Songwe boasts an impressive career, including leadership roles in international organizations and significant contributions in climate finance.

The Holy See announced today that Pope Leo XIV has appointed Dr. Vera Songwe as an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. Dr. Songwe is recognized for her extensive experience and leadership in global economic and social issues.

Born on August 31, 1968, in Nairobi, Kenya, Dr. Songwe is a citizen of Cameroon. She holds a degree in economics and political sciences from the University of Michigan and a doctorate in mathematical economics from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. Her career spanned roles at the World Bank from 1998 until 2015, during which she served as National Director for several West African nations, including Senegal and Mauritania.

From 2015 to 2017, Dr. Songwe was the Director for West and Central Africa at the International Finance Corporation. She later held the position of Undersecretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa until 2022. In addition to her new role, she is also the founder and president of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility and a non-resident senior fellow at the Africa Growth Initiative of the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.

This appointment not only highlights Dr. Songwe’s vast expertise but also reflects the Vatican’s intent to address critical social issues, including climate finance and sustainable development.

The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences is an institution of the Holy See that brings together experts from various disciplines with the aim of studying current economic, social, and political issues.

In recent years, the academy has recruited individuals with a professional background from international organizations and research institutes, signifying a new impetus at the Vatican to increase its international role in fields such as development economics and climate issues.

_{^{Image Credits: FID – UK Department for International Development – licensed as CC BY 2.0 via Flickr Photo Title: Dr Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, speaking at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London, 20 January 2020}}