Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; The African Union Commission (AUC) is taking bold strides toward building an innovation-driven continent, with leaders like Magalie Anderson, Director of Management Information Systems (MIS), at the forefront of this transformation.
A passionate advocate for youth empowerment, gender inclusion, and digital innovation, Magalie Anderson has been instrumental in repositioning the African Union as a hub for technology-driven development. Through her leadership, the AU’s Management Information Systems Directorate has strengthened digital infrastructure, advanced data management systems, and fostered technology adoption across the Union’s operations, all geared toward achieving Agenda 2063, Africa’s blueprint for sustainable growth and prosperity.
Her most recent contribution was during the three-day AU Innovation and Youth Leadership Week held at the Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa. The event, themed “Repositioning the African Union for Youth-Centered Innovation Leadership,” brought together top AU officials, including H.E. Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi (Deputy Chairperson), Prudence Ngwenya, Leslie Richer, and Mahlet Teshome Kebede, to reaffirm the critical role of youth-led innovation in driving Africa’s development agenda.
Under Magalie’s guidance, the AU has launched transformative initiatives such as the AU Go Gal program, which empowers young women innovators to lead solutions in science, technology, and entrepreneurship, and the African Union Digital and Innovation Fellowship, which nurtures talented young Africans to co-create and implement digital solutions across AU departments and Member States.
Speaking at the event, Magalie emphasized that “Africa’s future lies in our ability to innovate for ourselves, to build systems, platforms, and ideas that reflect our realities and serve our people.”
Her efforts are bridging the gap between policy and practice, ensuring that innovation moves beyond conversations into tangible results that empower communities, create jobs, and promote inclusive growth.
Magalie’s leadership is also central to the launch of the AU Data Centre, a major infrastructure milestone designed to strengthen data integrity, digital governance, and connectivity across the continent. This achievement reflects the African Union’s growing commitment to digital sovereignty and technological advancement led by Africans, for Africans.
With a clear focus on innovation, empowerment, and impact, Magalie Anderson continues to inspire a new generation of African leaders to think differently, act boldly, and shape a continent that thrives on knowledge, creativity, and collaboration.
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