Dr. Joy Kategekwa

A globally recognized international trade expert with 20 years’ experience unlocking trade deals for Africa. Holds a Ph.D. in International Trade Law from the University of Berne’s prestigious World Trade Institute, and Executive Training on Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.  She is the Regional Strategy Advisor to UNDP Assistant Administrator/Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa. As Founding Head of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Regional Office for Africa (Addis Ababa), she led advisory teams supporting the African Union  and its Member States to shape the historic African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Previously, she led institutional coordination of African participation in negotiations as an official of the World Trade Organization Secretariat. She has served on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Trade and Investment and seats on the Advisory Board of the AfCFTA Secretary General on Trade, Industrialization and Diversification; African Journal on International Economic Law (AJIEL); and the Advisory Board of Mercy College (New York). Dr. Kategekwa is the author of “Opening Markets for Foreign Skills: How Can the WTO help?”.  She is fluent in English and French, is a trained vocalist, piano player and songwriter. She is married and has five beautiful girls.