AUDA-NEPAD CEO Appointed to Global Center on Adaptation Supervisory Board

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) has appointed Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), to its Supervisory Board—a strategic move that places African priorities and leadership at the centre of global climate adaptation governance.

GCA is an international organization that serves as a solutions broker, accelerating action and support for climate adaptation — from the global to the local level — by partnering with governments, the private sector, and civil society to exchange knowledge and drive collective progress toward a climate-resilient future.

Ms. Bekele-Thomas joins a distinguished Supervisory Board chaired by H.E. Macky Sall, 4th President of the Republic of Senegal, alongside Mr. Rodger Voorhies, President of the Global Growth and Opportunity Division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Mr. Francis X. Suarez, Mayor of Miami.

“I am honoured to accept this appointment at such a pivotal moment for Africa and the world,” said Ms. Bekele-Thomas.

“As we face accelerating climate impacts that disproportionately affect our continent, Africa’s voice must be central to global adaptation governance. Through this platform, we will ensure that our implementation priorities, development pathways, and proven solutions shape the decisions and financing that will determine our collective climate future.”

Her appointment comes at a crucial time, as the world confronts intensifying climate shocks, with Africa enduring the most severe impacts despite contributing the least to global emissions.

GCA President and CEO Prof. Patrick Verkooijen welcomed the appointment, noting:

“As GCA enters the next phase of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) 2.0, Ms. Bekele-Thomas’s leadership will ensure that Africa’s resilience-building agenda remains at the forefront — particularly in the lead-up to COP30 in Belém and throughout the decisive decade of climate action ahead.”

Under Ms. Bekele-Thomas’s leadership, AUDA-NEPAD has championed locally led adaptation, institutional capacity-building, and integrated development planning that advances climate-resilient growth across the continent. Her proven ability to translate policy into actionable programmes and mobilize partnerships positions her as a key voice in shaping the global adaptation agenda.

Her inclusion on the GCA Supervisory Board reinforces Africa’s position as a driving force in climate adaptation, ensuring the continent’s priorities receive the political leadership, coordination, and financing they require to safeguard livelihoods and accelerate resilience.