Dr Vera Songwe Joins LSE and CETEx as Visiting Professor in Practice 

We are delighted to welcome Dr Vera Songwe as a Visiting Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the Centre for Economic Transition Expertise (CETEx). 

Dr Songwe is a distinguished economist and global thought leader in sustainable development, international finance, and economic policy. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility and is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Africa Growth Initiative. Additionally, she co-chairs the Food System Economics Commission, an interdisciplinary academic commission that equips decision-makers with tools and evidence to shift food and land use systems. 

From 2017 to 2022, Dr Songwe served as United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), becoming the first woman to lead the institution. Prior to that, she held senior positions at the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), including Regional Director for West and Central Africa and Country Director for several West African nations. 

Dr Songwe holds a PhD in Mathematical Economics and a Master’s in Law and Economics from the Université Catholique de Louvain, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan. 

At LSE and CETEx, Dr Songwe will contribute to research and policy engagement on climate finance, debt sustainability, and economic transformation, with a particular focus on emerging and developing economies. 

We look forward to the valuable insights and impact Dr Songwe will bring to our academic and policy communities.