SOUMTANG BIME Valentine, Cameroon, DES-P That’s a very timely question. From my experience, private sector HR often pushes innovation faster because of market competition you see practices like flexible work models, strong reward systems, career mobility, and continuous upskilling. International organizations, meanwhile, tend to emphasize compliance, stability, and process integrity, which sometimes slows down innovation but ensures fairness and accountability.

The real value lies in blending the two: adopting the private sector’s agility (career pathways, recognition, people analytics) while leveraging the international organization’s strengths in diversity and mission-driven culture. When HR is positioned as a driver of capability, not just process, it creates both efficiency and an environment where people can thrive.

Dear fellow Fellows.... We’re almost six months into the fellowship, and I’ve been reflecting: beyond our division work and research projects, how can we make the most of this experience? What are some strategic ways to position ourselves for growth, networks, and impact during the rest of the year? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

LIPEDE Omolola Mary,Nigeria,GPSPD Absolutely!!!!!! everything starts with mindsets. I also admire how the World Bank has a Mind, Behaviour and Development Unit that looks at the human side of change. If we could integrate this kind of thinking from the school level upward, it would shape not just skills but the way future generations approach development, innovation, and problem-solving

BIRIKA Naomi,Kenya,RITD I think the continent isn’t fully ready yet but we can’t afford to delay the conversation. Moving towards a Customs Union or Common Market aligns with Africa’s foresight priorities like industrialization, jobs, food security, and digital transformation.

The barriers are real though: weak infrastructure, tariff dependence, fragmented regulations, and limited institutional capacity. But with stronger AfCFTA implementation, harmonized standards, and investment in enabling infrastructure, we can gradually bridge the gap. So while readiness is uneven, the next level of integration is less a question of if and more of when and how we prepare for it.

SHWEHDY Amged B, Libya, SRO-NA Thank you for this piece. On a practical level, our e-governance in Africa often lacks the foundational architecture. Too many governments skip the basics , interoperable systems, distributed designs, and capacity and instead over-police. That kills innovation before it even starts.

America could create something like ChatGPT because the foundations were laid decades ago. Here, we risk becoming like Europe, regulating more than we enable, without first building the infrastructure that makes resilience possible.

For me, resilience means getting the foundations right from the start, then layering policy and safeguards. UNECA and similar institutions can help by convening countries to co-invest in those digital foundations and regional redundancies, so we don’t just consume other people’s innovations but build our own.

ALI Ibrahim Houssen,Djibouti,ACS Great insights and a critical reminder of agriculture’s role in Africa’s future.

But if only 10 out of 144 SDG targets are on track, we have to ask: were the goals realistic, given Africa’s financing gaps, infrastructure deficits, and limited change readiness?

It’s not just about ambition; it’s about capacity to implement. AI in agriculture is promising, but how do we ensure rural farmers can access and use these tools effectively?

Maybe the real question is: how do we build institutions, systems, and skills that are truly ready for change, so we can turn goals into grounded results before 2030?

SOUMTANG BIME Valentine, Cameroon, DES-P Thank you for raising this, your skepticism is not only valid, it’s necessary. Real reform must go beyond ambition to address implementation gaps, financial dependence, and deliver meaningful, lasting change especially for regions like ours or Moreso, the entire continent.

Being at ECA during this pivotal moment, I keep reflecting on what change readiness truly means. Do we, as institutions, have the systems, leadership, and collective will to act differently this time? I look forward to seeing how this journey unfolds and what role we can play in shaping it.

IITUMBA Ndinelao,Namibia,PCKMD Thank you for that powerful reflection. “A call to action” really captures what this moment feels like. Being here now, during such a pivotal shift, makes me reflect on the kind of leadership the future demands: not just passionate, but principled, prepared, and people centered. Looking forward to rebranding my leadership presence to this.

SOUMTANG BIME Valentine, Cameroon, DES-P Thanks for raising this, timely and painfully familiar.

Africa contributes just 3.8% of global emissions (because we haven’t had the luxury of over-industrializing), yet we catch the worst of climate change—droughts, floods, food insecurity and receive only 20% of adaptation finance. That math isn’t mathing.

From my work in development finance, I’ve seen how climate shocks quietly bankrupt growth damaging roads, crops, and people’s health. And without urgent investment, we’ll be paying more to fix than to prevent. As Africa develops, emissions will rise. That’s normal. The goal isn’t to stay poor and low-carbon but it’s to grow climate-smart.

ECA can help by: Turning strategies into fundable, data-driven projects, and Backing Africa’s collective push for fairer climate finance and tracking were these money goes.

The polluter didn’t pay. They never do. So now, let’s build our own receipt, strategic, green, and loud enough to be funded.

I’ve been reflecting lately on how fortunate we are to be part of this fellowship especially at a time when the UN is actively rethinking its role ahead of UN80. It’s not every day you get to witness (and contribute to) a moment of institutional reflection and potential reform from the inside. Being here makes me think deeply about what this milestone really means—not just for the UN, but for how we show up as future leaders.

I’m curious, how are you all experiencing this moment? What does UN80 stir in you?

Indeed, IITUMBA Ndinelao,Namibia,PCKMD an interesting observation. The idea of the social contract really resonated with me too. It’s a concept I’m starting to adopt in everything I do, especially as a way to answer the simple but powerful question: “What do people actually gain from what we do?” It’s made me reflect deeply on what it will truly take for public institutions to deliver on that promise not just in theory, but in action.

ALI Ibrahim Houssen,Djibouti,ACS Is it different from plagiarism?