First Lady Fatima Bio Elected President of African First Ladies

First Lady of Sierra Leone, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio has been elected President of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD).

The election took place during OAFLAD’s 29th Ordinary General Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Fatima Bio will serve a two-year term from 2025 to 2027. Dr. Ana Dias Lourenço, First Lady of Angola, was elected Vice-President. OAFLAD expressed confidence in the leadership of both women and their commitment to the organization’s mission.

The General Assembly, themed “Building on Beijing: First Ladies Championing Women’s Leadership and Rights Through African Heritage,” brought together First Ladies from across Africa, along with regional partners, political leaders, representatives from UN agencies, the private sector, donors, and members of civil society.

The event highlighted OAFLAD’s achievements over the past two years and outlined the organization’s focus for 2025 and beyond. It also served as a platform to introduce the new leadership, including the President, Vice-President, and Steering Committee.

OAFLAD, an advocacy organization uniting African First Ladies, champions health accessibility and empowerment initiatives for women and youth. The organization is poised to leverage the successes of its #WeAreEqual and #WeAreEqualInAction campaigns to further its goals of sustainable and inclusive development, ensuring the equal participation of women, youth, and marginalized communities.