Africa Action Appoints New Executive Director

The Board of Directors of Africa Action is pleased to announce the appointment of Nii Akuetteh as Africa Action's new Executive Director.

Since 2002, Akuetteh, a Ghanaian, has served as the Founder of the Democracy and Conflict Research Institute, based in Accra, Ghana. Earlier, Akuetteh was the Executive Director of the Open Society Institute West Africa, a regional Soros Foundation dedicated to funding democracy organizations and related activities in West Africa. From 1982-1992, Akuetteh served as the Research and Education Director of TransAfrica, a Washington, DC based nonprofit organization that analyzes and advocates for change in United States policy toward Africa.

Akuetteh is a widely published author and frequent speaker on African affairs in the United States, Europe and Africa; serves as a Member of TransAfrica Forum's Scholars Council; and was an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown's University's School of Foreign Service from 1987-1996.

Mark Toney, Africa Action's Board Chair commented on the appointment: "In Nii, we have found a visionary leader with all the requisite skills to help raise the profile of Africa Action and our key campaigns – the struggle for human rights in Darfur, cancellation of illegitimate debt imposed upon African Nations, and Africa's right to health. He brings with him a quarter century as an African democracy activist, public intellectual, talented writer, and bicultural bridge builder, as well as extensive experience in providing organizational leadership, both in the United States and Africa."

Africa Action is the oldest organization in the United States working on African Affairs. Africa Action is a national organization that works for political, economic and social justice in Africa. Through the provision of accessible information and analysis combined with the mobilization of public pressure Africa Action works to change the policies and policy-making processes of United States and multinational institutions toward Africa.