H.E. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid
Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy at the African Union Commission
Egypt
H.E. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid
Dr Amani Abou-Zeid is the twice-elected African Union Commissioner in charge of Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation.
For more than 37 years, Dr Abou-Zeid has served in leadership positions in international organisations, such as the African Development Bank, UNDP and USAID, with a focus on infrastructure and energy programmes. Over her career, she has amassed a remarkable mix of strategic and operational professional experience and achievements across Africa, France, UK and Canada and across constituencies with wide array of stakeholders.
Commissioner Abou-Zeid launched the African Single Electricity Market , the Single African Air Transport Market which now includes 36 african countries, Africa’s Digital Transformation Strategy, Africa’s Digital ID and Data frameworks, the First ever Continental policy on Child protection online and developed the second phase of Africa’s Regional and Transcontinental projects ( 70 regional and transcontinental projects)— among other continental initiatives. She is championing Africa’s energy access and just transition as well as being Africa’s voice calling for gender empowerment and women leadership in infrastructure as well as energy for clean cooking and road safety in Africa . She continues to galvanise Africa’s positions in international fora especially on issues of of accelerating regional infrastructure through fair access to finance and on embracing top technologies for local solutions.
Prior to her current position, she has managed AfDB largest operational portfolio and implemented national and continental multi-sectoral development programmes, including the world’s largest solar power plant (Nour).
An Egyptian national, Dr Abou-Zeid has a multi-disciplinary academic training: B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Cairo University; MBA in project management for African Development from the French University for African Development (Université Senghor); Masters of Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard School of Government; and Ph.D. in Social and Economic Development from The University of Manchester, UK. She also has a degree DES in Arts from Université Sorbonne-Paris IV.
Dr Abou-Zeid has received numerous international awards and recognitions for her leadership and excellence : conferred Doctorate honoris causa in Social Sciences from the University of Manchester, UK, decorated the Wissam Alaouite from HM King of Morocco and Ordre du Lion from HE President of Senegal, named “Personalité d’avenir” by Government of France and repeatedly selected one of Africa’s Most Influential Women.
Commissioner Abou-Zeid is also member of the the prestigious Global Leaders Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, and of the Stewardship Board for the Future of Energy Initiative on Shaping the Future of Energy. She co-steers Smart Africa Initiative as well as d many african and global High Level Task Forces, on Digital Economy, Connectivity and Energy
Dr. Abou-Zeid was named among the List of 100 Most Influential African Women in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 by Avance Media.
Photo Credit: Broadband Commission