Born in Ghana, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee is an internationally recognised diplomat and a prominent advocate for peace, gender equality, and sustainable development. Since 2021, she has served as the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO), leading critical efforts in conflict prevention and resolution across the continent.
Her diplomatic journey includes her historic appointment as Ghana’s first female Permanent Representative to the United Nations in 2015, where she played a crucial role in advancing African interests, fostering international cooperation, and championing women’s inclusion in peace processes. During her term, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee actively held influential positions such as Chair of the African Group of Ambassadors in New York, Vice-President of the 71st UN General Assembly, and Co-Facilitator of the High-Level Meeting on Financing for Development, putting Ghana at the heart of key multilateral discussions and championing African diplomacy at the UN Security Council.
Pobee’s expertise spans conflict resolution, multilateral diplomacy, and sustainable development. Her work has been instrumental in advocating for women's roles in peace negotiations, ensuring that their voices are integral to policy-making. In Mali, South Sudan, and Sudan, she has supported women's initiatives in securing peace agreements, setting important precedents for gender inclusion in global governance. Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee recognises the importance of her role and her determination in helping African women achieve their full potential. She herself has stated that “in much of my career, I have had to go the extra mile, and perhaps double of what my male colleagues did, to be recognised as capable”.
For Pobee, the challenges, barriers and struggles women face in the workplace, conflict situations and political processes need to be overcome for societies to thrive properly. More than Inspiring Stories, women “hold up half the sky”.
With a strong academic foundation, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee holds a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy from the University of Ghana and a master’s degree in development studies from the International Institute of Social Studies in The Hague. She has also studied multilateral diplomacy at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva and Public Administration at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
Recognised as one of the 100 Most Influential African Women in 2023 by Avance Media, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee continues to shape the landscape of international diplomacy amongst strong uncertainty and diplomatic headwinds. With unwavering dedication to peacebuilding, gender equality, and sustainable development, she continues to reinforce her legacy as a trailblazing diplomat and an African champion for a more just and inclusive world.
