Commemoration of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy
In 2022, the UN General Assembly designated 24th June of every year as the International Day of Women in Diplomacy. The objective is to highlight the role of women in diplomacy and seek to close identified gaps.
In commemoration of this day, the African Space Leadership Institute (ASLI) is organising a virtual roundtable on 24th June 2025, with the theme: "Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women in [Space] Diplomacy for a More Inclusive Future."
Lead discussants are:
➡️ Henriette Cyuzuzo (International Cooperation Analyst, Rwanda Space Agency)
➡️ Alma Okpalefe (Executive Director, World Space Week Association)
➡️ Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse (CEO, Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana)
➡️ Dr. Sarah-Jane Gill (PNT Lead, UK Space Agency)
Students and young professionals will also have opportunity to explore the needs, opportunities and expectations of careers in space diplomacy.
Aarti Holla-Maini (Director, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, UNOOSA) will make some opening remarks.
Aarti Holla-Maini is the Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), having taken up post on 18 September 2023, following her appointment by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. Ms Holla-Maini brings over 25 years of experience in the space and satellite sector, working predominantly with international organizations and regulators. Prior to the United Nations, she held the post of Secretary-General of the Global Satellite Operators Association. She is a recognized leader with a strong track record in forging public-private and cross-sector partnerships; high-level advocacy at the international level; strategic communication and managing diverse stakeholders.
Henriette Cyuzuzo is an international development professional with expertise in strategic partnerships and program coordination. She serves as an International Cooperation Analyst at the Rwanda Space Agency (RSA), where she leads international engagement efforts and promotes the use of space technology for sustainable development. Her role includes building partnerships with space agencies, government institutions, and intergovernmental organizations to strengthen Rwanda’s presence in the global space sector. Henriette also spearheads initiatives that raises awareness of the importance of space science for socioeconomic growth. Prior to joining RSA in 2022, Henriette held roles at the Smart Africa Secretariat.
Alma Okpalefe is the Executive Director of the World Space Week Association. Previously she served as Company Secretary and Legal Adviser of Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Ltd, where she oversaw Legal Services, International Cooperation and Corporate Strategy. She served as the project secretary for NigComSat-1R and NigComSat-2 satellite projects. She is a fierce advocate of homegrown technology, indigenous content, women in aerospace/tech and bridging the digital divide. She also has a keen interest in human rights.
Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse is a distinguished physicist, climatologist, and academic leader, currently serving as the CEO of Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority. Between 2018 and 2021, she served as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana. From 2021 to 2023, she was promoted to Associate Professor, and in 2023, she achieved the rank of full Professor of Physics. In addition to her academic pursuits, Professor Klutse has held numerous leadership roles. She previously served as Head of the Department of Physics at the University of Ghana. She was also Vice Chair of the IPCC Working Group I for the Seventh Assessment Report and has served as a Lead Author for the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report.
Sarah-Jane Gill currently works in the Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) team at the UK Space Agency, bringing together stakeholders from government and across the sector, to deliver the UK’s objectives for PNT. Having previously held roles as the Chief of Staff, Head of ESA Policy, and the Head of International Relations at the UK Space Agency, she has worked in the space sector for almost a decade. She has also worked in the fields of space law and regulation, space domain awareness and on high-level strategy and policy. Prior to joining the space sector, she worked as a geologist in the diamond mining industry in Namibia, and later with the Natural History Museum, developing ESA’s Sample Analogue Collection of terrestrial materials that could be used to simulate the geology of the Moon, Mars, the moons of Mars, and c-type asteroids. She holds qualifications in planetary science and project management, and a doctorate in Geology from the University of London.