Kemi Ajumobi 
Dagmawit Moges Bekele
Director, African Union Peace Fund Secretariat, AU
Dagmawit Moges Bekele is an African optimist — driven by purpose, grounded in service, and deeply committed to building systems that move the continent forward and deliver lasting impact. By day — and with immense pride, she leads the Peace Fund Secretariat at the African Union Commission, a role she wakes up every morning grateful to fulfill. Alongside a dedicated team, she is working to fully operationalise one of Africa’s most ambitious peace financing instruments. Their mission lies at the intersection of diplomacy, resource mobilisation, fund management, investment and institutional transformation — anchored in a powerful belief: Africa can, and must, own its peace and security agenda.
Previously, she had the honour of serving as Ethiopia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, where she led transformative initiatives to modernise a sector vital to national development. Dagmawit also served as a cabinet member of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and as a member of Parliament, bringing citizen-centered policymaking into the heart of governance.
She believes leadership should be human, that progress is born of community, and that Africa’s future belongs to those who dare to dream boldly and act practically. Across every stage of her career, she has been committed to cultivating excellence, learning continuously, and unlocking opportunity through meaningful collaboration.
As we conclude 2025, Dagmawit is pleased to reflect on a year of focused institutional strengthening at the African Union Peace Fund. Guided by the direction of AU Member States, and drawing on the Secretariat’s internal expertise through sustained engagement with their stakeholders and AU policy organs, she says they have finalised three key framework documents: the Resource Mobilisation Strategy, Communication & Advocacy Strategy, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
“As we move into the year ahead, these frameworks will guide our work across all pillars of the hashtag#PeaceFund. They will inform how we mobilise and diversify resources, deepen strategic partnerships, communicate impact more effectively, and ensure consistent, transparent, and efficient operations.” She said, adding that, most importantly, they will support the secretariat in translating commitment into tangible actions.
“We look forward to working closely with AU organs, different departments and partners under the guidance of our Member States as we operationalize these strategies and continue advancing our shared objective of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous hashtag #Africa, in line with hashtag#Agenda2063.” Dagmawit stated.