1st Africa Environment Partnership Platform

Mrs. Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong

Director of Programme Implementation and Coordination at the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency

Mrs Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong is the Director of Programme Implementation and Coordination at the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency). In May 2014 and July 2016, she received Honorary Awards from the Governments of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Republic of Cameroon respectively, for her passion, dedication and leadership towards advancing equality and empowerment of African women. Mrs Fotabong also received special recognition in 2015 by Top Women in Business & Government (a leading corporate publication in Africa); acknowledging her work as one of the Top women in Agriculture Policy on the continent. 

Before her appointment as Director at the NEPAD Agency, Mrs Fotabong was the UNEP Country Liaison Officer for South Africa and the Senior Environment Adviser to the NEPAD Secretariat. Previously she held several positions including: Assistant Lecturer in Law at the University of Soa, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Director of Policy and Strategy; WWF Central African Regional Programme Office, Biodiversity and NEPAD Programme Officer with UNEP-DGEF. 

She has a Master’s Degree in Law and another Master’s Degree in International Affairs, specialising in International Policy and Practice. Mrs Fotabong has served on several panels and international steering committees for various projects.  They include the CBD Expert Panel on Access and Benefit Sharing; IUCN WCPA Regional Vice-Chair for West and Central Africa; the NEPAD African Protected Areas Initiative Steering Committee; the International Steering Committee of the IPGRI Genetic Resource Policy Initiative; the International Advisory Board for the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa Programme; the Africa Stockpile Programme and many others. Through these processes and in the various capacities in which she served, she has made significant contribution to policy development and implementation at international, regional and national levels. 

Mrs Fotabong has co-authored several publications relating to Climate Change Adaptation, Environmental Law and Development Policy. She has extensive global travel experience, through serving in various portfolios.

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