With the news and realities of conflicts already in Europe [between Ukraine and Russia], the Middle East [between Israel and Hamas], and brewing challenges in the South American region between Venezuela and Guyana, and then in the Sahel region of Africa, as the ECOWAS threatened military action against Niger, Ms. Zuriel Oduwole believed it was perhaps time for a different approach to addressing some of our world’s conflicts, with an emphasis on conflict prevention rather than resolution.
Having met with more than 33 Presidents and Prime Ministers over the last 10 years from Europe, Africa and the Americas, and also with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi of Egypt during the Arab blockade of Qatar to understand the intricacies of leadership in a hostile and unpredictable world, she saw the urgent need for a softer approach to engaging leaders at conflict prevention – an arrowhead of ‘female foreign ministers’.
In December 2023, the 21 year-old Presidential Advisor and Global Education Advocate Zuriel met first with the Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso, H.E. Mrs. Ragnaghnewende Olivia Rouamba, whose country along with Mali and Niger had formed a military alliance to fend of any impeding military conflict with the 15 member ECOWAS body, led by Nigeria. What the “Sahel 3” countries had in common was that their countries had all experienced a change in government, let by the military.
Ms. Oduwole had met much earlier with Presidents Salva Kiir of South Sudan, President George Weah of Liberia and President Julius Bio of Sierra Leone, leaders of three African countries that had experienced civil wars. These nations were still showing the scars in underdevelopment, a near permanent underclass, and a female population that was heavily traumatized by wars and its related atrocities.
“There is no need for the world to go over the horrible history of the last few years again, she said.
She heads to the Pacific region next, as she works to build a network that pushes a new approach to addressing some of our worlds many challenges, especially those that could have been prevented in the first instance.
