Washington, D.C., June 4, 2018 --- Serigne Mbaye Thiam, Minister of National Education in Senegal, will become the first Vice Chair of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). Minister Thiam’s appointment by the GPE Board of Directors recognizes his remarkable achievements in improving the education system in Senegal, his global leadership advocating for the right to education for all children as well as his extraordinary support to GPE over the past years.

As Vice Chair, Minister Thiam will provide leadership to GPE and support the Chair in managing the affairs of the Board.

“I am delighted to welcome Minister Thiam as the first Vice Chair of the Global Partnership for Education,” said Julia Gillard, GPE Board Chair and former Prime Minister of Australia. “Minister Thiam is a highly respected education leader in Africa and beyond. We have known him as an engaged and immensely valued member of the GPE Board in previous years and I look forward to working with him in this important role.”

Minister Thiam was a member of the GPE Board, representing the Africa 2 constituency which includes 18 francophone countries between January 2013 and December 2014 and Chair of the Governance, Ethics, Risk and Finance Board Committee between February 2014 and December 2015. He held various civil service positions in Senegal since 1996, including as Deputy and Minister of Higher Education and Research. He also worked extensively in the private sector, consulting, accounting and corporate finance and serving as Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at the Autonomous Port of Dakar between 1987 and 1998. Minister Thiam is also the President of UNESCO’s National Commission for Senegal and represents his country on UNESCO’s Executive Board.

“Through my earlier engagement with the GPE Board and through my ministerial duties in Senegal, I have come to respect and admire GPE’s work and its impact on the lives of millions of children across the world,” said Minister Thiam.” I am honored to accept this role, obtained thanks to President Macky Salls’ confidence in me, and look forward to working with Julia Gillard and Alice Albright supporting GPE’s important mission.”

Along with the Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Minister Thiam will be a leading public representative of GPE at high-level events and in relationships with political and international development leaders. He will assist to manage the governance affairs of GPE as well as being a counsellor and confidante to both the Chair and CEO.

“I am excited and privileged to be given the opportunity once again to work closely with Minister Thiam,” said Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer, Global Partnership for Education. He was instrumental in ensuring the success of GPE’s Financing Conference in Dakar in February. Millions of children across the world can now benefit from the energy and commitment that he brought to reforming Senegal’s education system.”

The Vice Chair is a non-remunerated, volunteer position as is the position of Board Chair in service of developing education around the world. The appointment is for an initial two-year period. The Vice Chair was selected through an open, competitive and transparent process and formally appointed by the Board at its meeting on 30 May, 2018.

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About the Global Partnership for Education: The Global Partnership for Education works with more than 65 developing countries to ensure that every child receives a quality basic education, prioritizing the poorest, the most vulnerable and those living in countries affected by fragility and conflict-affected. GPE mobilizes financing to improve learning and equity through building stronger education systems. As the only global organization focused exclusively on improving education, GPE brings together developing country and donor country governments, multilateral development and humanitarian agencies, and organizations from the private sector, philanthropy, civil society and the teaching profession.

For more information: https://www.globalpartnership.org/

Media contact:

Alexandra Humme, ahumme@globalpartnership.org, +1 202 458 5511