Former President of the Republic of Seychelles

James Alix Michel served as the third President of the Republic of Seychelles from 2004 to 2016. Prior to assuming the presidency, he was Vice-President and the country’s longest-serving Cabinet minister, with a public service career spanning 39 years. During his political career, he held several ministerial portfolios, including Education, Finance, Communications, Defence, Culture and Sports.

As President, Michel led major economic reforms following the 2008 financial crisis, implementing policies that stabilised the economy and strengthened fiscal governance. He also played a key role in democratising education in Seychelles, ensuring universal access to free education, and was instrumental in the creation of the University of Seychelles, where he serves as Chancellor.

Internationally, Michel became a leading advocate for Small Island Developing States, environmental sustainability, and the Blue Economy. Under his leadership, Seychelles pioneered initiatives such as Blue Bonds, debt-for-nature swaps, and marine spatial planning, while expanding protected natural areas to cover half of the country’s territory.

Michel co-chaired the Global Island Partnership and continues to promote sustainable development, ocean conservation, and climate resilience through the James Michel Foundation and other international initiatives.

Former Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya

Willy M. Mutunga is the former Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya, appointed in 2011 during a pivotal period of judicial transformation under Kenya’s new Constitution. A distinguished jurist, scholar, and human rights advocate, he has dedicated his career to advancing constitutionalism, social justice, and democratic governance.

Dr. Mutunga holds a Doctorate in Jurisprudence from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University in Canada, and law degrees from the University of Dar es Salaam. He began his academic career at the University of Nairobi, where his activism in defence of academic freedom and civil liberties led to his detention without trial in the early 1980s.

Throughout his career, Dr. Mutunga has helped establish and lead numerous civil society and legal organisations, including Kituo Cha Sheria, the Law Society of Kenya, the Kenya Human Rights Commission, and the East African Centre for Constitutional Development.

He has received numerous national and international honours for his contributions to law, governance, and human rights. Dr. Mutunga is also a prolific author and commentator on constitutional reform, progressive jurisprudence, and social justice in Africa.

Associate Scientific Director, CAPRISA & Professor in Clinical Epidemiology, Columbia University

Quarraisha Abdool Karim is an infectious diseases epidemiologist and global leader in HIV prevention research. She is Associate Scientific Director and co-founder of CAPRISA, Professor in Clinical Epidemiology at Columbia University, Pro-Vice Chancellor for African Health at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and President of The World Academy of Sciences.

Prof. Abdool Karim has spent more than three decades researching HIV prevention, particularly among adolescent girls and young women. Her landmark CAPRISA 004 trial demonstrated for the first time that antiretroviral drugs could prevent HIV infection, a breakthrough recognised by Science magazine as one of the top scientific advances of 2010.

She has played a major role in global public health policy and scientific leadership, serving as UNAIDS Special Ambassador for Adolescents and HIV and participating in several World Health Organization advisory and research initiatives, including Covid-19 and Ebola clinical trial steering committees.

Prof. Abdool Karim has published more than 300 scientific papers and contributed extensively to building research capacity across southern Africa. Her contributions to science and global health have been recognised through numerous international honours, including South Africa’s Order of Mapungubwe, the Canada Gairdner Global Health Award, and the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize for Medical Research.

Former President of the Republic of Mozambique

Joaquim Alberto Chissano served as President of Mozambique from 1986 to 2005 and played a central role in the country’s transition from conflict to peace and multi-party democracy. A founding member of the FRELIMO, Chissano participated in the negotiations that led to Mozambique’s independence from Portugal in 1975 and subsequently became the country’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs.

As President, Chissano introduced major socio-economic reforms and oversaw the adoption of the 1990 Constitution, which established a multi-party political system and market-based economy. He also led peace negotiations that ended 16 years of civil war in 1992. Following democratic elections in 1994 and 1999, he voluntarily stepped down in 2005 despite being constitutionally eligible to remain in office.

Chissano has held numerous regional and international leadership roles, including Chairperson of the African Union and the Southern African Development Community. After leaving office, he served as a United Nations envoy and mediator in several peace and governance processes across Africa.

He currently chairs the Joaquim Chissano Foundation and remains active in global initiatives focused on peacebuilding, sustainable development, food security, and climate governance. In 2007, he received the inaugural Mo Ibrahim Foundation Prize for Achievement in African Leadership.