Organization of African First Ladies: First Lady Dominique Ouattara advocates for a strong and powerful organization
On Thursday, July 30, 2026, First Lady Dominique Ouattara attended the launch ceremony of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) campaign, titled “Building Resilience for Women and Girls: Climate, Conflict, and Sustainable Development”, at the InterContinental hotel complex in Luanda, Angola.
This continental initiative aims to mobilize states, partners, and civil society to address the challenges African women and girls face due to climate change, conflict, and humanitarian crises.
The ceremony witnessed the presence of Mr. João Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, and his wife, Mrs. Ana Afonso Dias Lourenço, Vice-President of OAFLAD; Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone and President of OAFLAD; as well as several other First Ladies and numerous international partners.
Twenty-five years after the creation of OAFLAD, First Lady Dominique Ouattara advocated for a stronger, more powerful organization “whose impact is recognized on the international stage and whose partnerships are diversified and sustained.” Looking ahead to the organization’s future, with its silver jubilee set to be celebrated in 2027, First Lady Dominique Ouattara reaffirmed Cote d’Ivoire’s support for OAFLAD and its resource mobilization campaign. She expressed her hope that the organization would strengthen its international influence and secure sustainable financial resources to increase its impact. “I hope our shared commitment can rest on a sustainable financial foundation, so that we may empower more women and save more children’s lives,” she concluded, reaffirming her vision for an Africa where every woman and child can live with dignity and hope.
In her remarks, Mrs. Dominique Ouattara also welcomed the campaign, which she considers essential for the continent’s future. “Women are often the first victims of climate change and armed conflict. Yet, they are also the first to rebuild their families and communities, and to carry the hope of sustainable development,” she stated. For the First Lady, strengthening their resilience means ensuring better access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, as well as enabling their full participation in their countries’ development.
To illustrate this vision, Mrs. Dominique Ouattara shared the experience of Cote d’Ivoire, where the Children Of Africa Foundation has been working for nearly three decades to support the most vulnerable populations. Established in 1998, the Foundation operates in the fields of education, health, and social protection, with the aim of building a more inclusive society. “I have always held the conviction that vulnerable women and children in need must be at the heart of our concerns, and that we must raise our voices to defend their interests,” she affirmed.
The First Lady highlighted several of the Foundation’s flagship achievements, notably the “Children of Africa” School of Excellence in Abobo, which accommodates and fully supports 700 underprivileged children—and the School of Excellence in Kong. In the health sector, she showcased the Dominique Ouattara Mother-Child Hospital in Bingerville, a leading facility where one-quarter of underprivileged patients receive free care. Regarding social welfare, she also cited the “Safe Home” for women in Adiake, which supports female victims of violence in rebuilding their lives, as well as the Support Fund for Women of Côte d’Ivoire (FAFCI), whose funding has helped sustainably improve the living conditions of more than two million people.
For Mrs. Dominique Ouattara, these achievements demonstrate that concrete solutions exist to strengthen the resilience of women and girls. “These actions—like those each of you carries out with conviction in your own country—serve as building blocks that patiently construct the resilience of our populations. Yet, it is when they come together within an organization like the OAFLAD that these individual initiatives gain greater impact,” she emphasized, calling for strengthened cooperation among African First Ladies.
Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio, the current President of OAFLAD, emphasized that African women are the primary victims of conflict and climate change. Consequently, their resilience serves as a genuine strength for the continent in addressing numerous challenges. Speaking on behalf of the organization, she—along with all the delegations present—pledged support to the First Lady of the Republic of Angola for the launch of this continental campaign in her country.
For her part, the First Lady of the Republic of Angola and Vice-President of OAFLAD, Mrs. Ana Dias Lourenço, advocated for peace and national cohesion in Africa, drawing upon the lessons of the long war experienced by her own country, Angola.
This significant event, attended by seven First Ladies and the First Gentleman of Namibia, offered an opportunity to appreciate Angola’s rich cultural—and especially musical—heritage.