Each year, the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program, in collaboration with the Harvard Center for International Development (CID), organizes a panel that gives students the opportunity to engage with leaders working on today’s most pressing policy and development challenges.

As part of this year’s program, four of the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Forum participants also served as panelists at the Harvard Center for International Development’s Speaker Series ‘Financing Africa’s Ambition’ event. The Hon. Jyoti Jeetun, Minister of Financial Services & Economic Planning of Mauritius; the Hon. Kaire Mbuende, Director General of the National Planning Commission of Namibia; the Hon. Khamis Mussa Omar, Minister of Finance; and the Hon. Kitila Mkumbo, Minister of State, President’s Office for Planning & Investment of Tanzania, joined a discussion moderated by Dr. Gomez Agou, Senior Research Fellow at the Harvard Center for International Development (CID) and Former IMF Resident Representative to Gabon.

The conversations explored how African countries are navigating fiscal constraints, while balancing international partnerships with long-term economic sovereignty and advancing bold national development priorities. Students also had the chance to engage directly with the speakers through a short Q&A session, where they raised thoughtful questions about mobilizing investments, population growth, and accountability for governments in delivering on national commitments.