The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission has said that the acceptance of two OECS politicians into a pan-African women’s leadership group is “a landmark triumph for cross-continental diplomacy and gender empowerment”.
This week, the Commission announced that Lanien Blanchette, Speaker of the National Assembly of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Lisa Jawahir, Saint Lucia’s Agriculture Minister, have been officially accepted into the African Academy for Women in Political Leadership. They both attended the launch event, held from August 2 to 7 in Kigali, Rwanda.
Lanien Blanchette, who is a lawyer, is recognised for supporting youth inclusion, defending constitutional integrity, and promoting democratic governance.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Union Commission, the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN), and the African School of Governance (ASG) created the academy. Its goal is to help women leaders build advanced skills in strategy, policy, and legislation.
The OECS Commission said in a statement that accepting Blanchette and Jawahir is a historic milestone because it formally includes Caribbean political leaders in this major governance programme.
“This is a concrete expression of the recognition by the African Union of the Diaspora as the sixth region,” the statement said.
The statement also recognised Aisha Maina, OECS Strategic Advisor for Africa-Caribbean Cooperation, for her leadership and support in making this historic integration possible.
Maina led the efforts to expand the academy’s global reach and successfully nominated Blanchette and Jawahir to represent the Eastern Caribbean.
The programme focuses on campaign strategy, coalition building, legislative reform, ethical governance, and implementing public policy.
“The inclusion of Speaker Lanien Blanchette and Minister Lisa Jawahir in the African Academy for Women in Political Leadership is a proud moment for the entire OECS region. It underscores the extraordinary calibre of female leadership within our Member States and signals a dynamic new era of transatlantic collaboration,” Dr Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS, said.
He also thanked Maina, saying she “continues to demonstrate that the bonds between Africa and the Caribbean are actively shaping the future of global leadership”.
