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The Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union has elected Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa from Rwanda Deputy Chairperson. Dr. Nsanzabaganwa secured the majority of votes in a highly contested position which saw two other female candidates vying for the post. Dr. Nsanzabaganwa becomes the first female to occupy the position of the Deputy Chairperson.

Election of the AU Commission Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson by the Assembly is conducted by secret ballot and a two-thirds majority of Member States eligible to vote.

Biography of Dr Nsanzabaganwa

Monique Nsanzabaganwa is a Rwandan economist, politician and diplomat, who has served as the vice-chairperson of the African Union Commission, effective 6 February 2021.Before that, between 2011 and 2021, she served as the deputy governor of the National Bank of Rwanda.

Background and education
She was born in Rwanda circa 1971, and attended Rwandan schools prior to her University education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, from the National University of Rwanda. She studied at Stellenbosch University, in South Africa, graduating with a Master of Arts in economics, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy, also in economics.

Career
Following her graduate studies abroad, she returned to Rwanda and worked as a lecturer in economics at the National University of Rwanda, from 1999 until 2003.Between 2003 and 2008, she served as the Minister of State responsible for Economic Planning in the Rwanda Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. From 2008 until 2011 she was the Minister of Trade and Industry in the Rwandan cabinet

As state minister for economic planning, Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa is credited with creating a stronger statistical and planning system nationally and at local levels. She was a leader of the drive to establish the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. She is also credited with leading the efforts to set up the legal framework and policy guidelines for microfinance in Rwanda.

Other considerations
She is a member of the African Leaders Network, a Fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN), a Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative (ALI) East Africa and a Fellow of the John F. Kennedy School of Government's Executive Education in Public Financial Management. She has served as the chairperson of the board of directors of the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, since 2012

Family
Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa is a married mother of three children and has two sons and a daughter