The Africa Blue Economy Roundtable (ABER) Women’s Forum has appointed Her Royal Highness Queen Nosipho Mthembu of Durban as its pioneer Deputy Chairperson.

The appointment, effective immediately, was approved by the Board of Trustees of the BRACED Tourism Promotion & Development Initiative, sponsors of ABER.

The board said the appointment recognised Mthembu’s distinguished service as a Royal Diplomat and Pan-African economic stateswoman.

The ABER Women’s Forum is the gender and youth platform of ABER, with a mandate to advance women’s and youths’ participation in Africa’s blue economy.

Mthembu is expected to use her experience in royal diplomacy, policy leadership and economic networks to support the Forum’s continental mandate.

As Deputy Director, Africa Royal Kingdoms for International Cooperation, Member of the OceanHub Africa Network and National Coordinator of ARTLC, she will mobilise traditional institutions.

Her role will include promoting indigenous knowledge and ancestral stewardship in implementing the Africa Blue Economy Strategy and African Union Agenda 2063.

Mthembu will also deepen ABER’s engagement with Africa’s diaspora through her role as Head of Protocol and Diplomacy, State of Africa Diaspora.

She is also expected to facilitate diaspora investment, skills and market opportunities for coastal communities across Africa.

As Minister of Mining and Blue Economy, Alkebulan Hayacratic Government, she will support partnerships for sustainable ports and responsible marine mineral governance.

Her role as National Chairperson of Women in Logistics South Africa will further support women-led value chains within the blue economy.

Mthembu will also promote women’s leadership and heritage conservation through her involvement with African and international development and heritage organisations.

As President of Africa Renaissance for Development, she is expected to strengthen the participation of women and youth in ocean governance.

She will also promote the protection of marine and coastal heritage through her engagements with the Mozambique Mining Forum and International Commission for Heritage.

Her international engagements, including with the Skolkovo Women’s Forum in Russia, are expected to facilitate technical cooperation, innovation and funding.

As Deputy Chairperson, Mthembu will support the Chairperson and act on her behalf whenever the Chairperson is unavailable.

She will coordinate the Forum’s activities across the five African Union regions and the African diaspora.

She will also promote strategic alignment between ABER country chapters and its headquarters on programmes, advocacy and policy.

Her responsibilities will include member engagement and coordination of responses to emerging challenges affecting women in the blue economy.

Mthembu’s leadership will be guided by her motto, “From Heritage to Economy, From Throne to Global Impact.”

The ABER Women’s Forum said her appointment would strengthen its focus on unity, tradition, royal legacy and inclusive participation.

Dr Piriye Kiyaramo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, BRACED Tourism Promotion and Development Initiative, welcomed the appointment.

Kiyaramo, who is also Convener and Chief Executive Officer of ABER, described Mthembu’s royal diplomacy and Pan-African networks as strategic assets.

“ABER warmly welcomes Her Royal Highness Queen Nosipho Mthembu to our continental platform,” Kiyaramo said.

He said her experiencee would contribute significantly to positioning the ABER Women’s Forum as a leading voice for African women.

Kiyaramo said the Forum looked forward to her leadership in advancing women’s participation in ocean governance across Africa and the diaspora.

The ABER Women’s Forum promotes inclusive and sustainable ocean governance through advocacy, capacity building, enterprise development and strategic partnerships.

It seeks to ensure that women and youth equitably benefit from Africa’s ocean and water resources.