From UN to LCIA to Harvard: Ghanaian women appointed to top international positions in 2026

Ghanaian women continue to make significant strides on the global stage, earning prestigious appointments across international organisations, multilateral institutions, and global governance bodies.

Their growing presence in key leadership positions reflects not only their individual achievements but also Ghana's increasing influence in international affairs. From diplomacy and finance to law, health, and development, these trailblazing women are helping shape policies and decisions that impact millions around the world.

The past few months in 2026 have seen Ghanaian women taking top positions in multinational organisations. Here are some of the women and the positions they have been appointed to.

1. Edem Wosornu - UN:

Edem Wosornu has been appointed as the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees by the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres.

Prior to her new appointment, Wosornu was the Director of the Crisis Response Division of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), a position she has held since 2023.

She is also the Chair of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Emergency Directors Group. Wosornu was most recently Chief of the Response Support Branch within OCHA’s Humanitarian Sector Division in Geneva.

She brings more than 21 years of experience in humanitarian affairs. This includes multiple leadership positions in OCHA. Prior to joining OCHA, Wosornu worked with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Before starting her UN career, she worked in the private legal sector in London.

Wosornu holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Studies from the College of Law, London; a Master of Laws in International Banking and Finance Law from University College London; and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Hull, UK. She speaks English and French.

2. Nania Owusu-Ankomah - LCIA



Nania Owusu-Ankomah, a partner at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah, has been appointed Vice President of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).

Her appointment was announced in a statement shared on social media by the law firm on May 18, 2026.

The post indicated that Nania Owusu-Ankomah, before she was appointed Vice President, was a member of the LCIA.

According to the post, the director of LCIA, Kevin Nash, said the appointment of Owusu-Ankomah is deserving because of her contribution to the court.

Nania is Chair of the Ghana Chapter of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) and a member of the English Commercial Bar (COMBAR) Africa Committee. She is also a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration & ADR and a board member of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre.

She previously served as Co-Chair of the Africa Arbitration Group of the International Bar Association (IBA) Arbitration Committee, after serving as editor of the IBA Arbitration Committee Newsletter. She was formerly a member of the three-panel Electronic Communications Tribunal of the Republic of Ghana, a quasi-judicial body that hears appeals in respect of the regulation and licensing of telecommunications companies, television stations and radio stations in Ghana.

She was part of the Task Force for the Commonwealth International Arbitration Study commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretariat, which comprised leading arbitration practitioners within the Commonwealth.

3. Prof Naa Dedei Tagoe:



Associate Professor Naa Dedei Tagoe, Head of the Department of Geomatic and Civil Engineering at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), has also been elected as Chair of FIG Commission B (Spatial Planning and Development) of the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG).

Associate Professor Tagoe is widely recognised for her contributions to geomatics and geospatial science.

She holds a PhD in Geomatics (with a specialisation in Photogrammetry). She has established herself as one of the country's leading experts in remote sensing, geographic information systems, spatial planning, environmental sustainability, and geospatial intelligence.

At UMaT, she has served in several leadership capacities, including Vice Dean of the School of Railways and Infrastructure Development, and is currently Head of the Department of Geomatics and Civil Engineering.

Through her academic leadership, research, and mentorship, she has contributed significantly to the advancement of geomatics education and professional practice in Ghana.

4. Kiesse Nanor:



Kiesse Nanor, a 26-year-old Ghanaian-born American, is one of three students and the only female who will be addressing the 375th commencement ceremony of the prestigious Harvard University on Thursday, May 28, 2026.

Kiesse Nanor, a graduating student of economics and classics, was chosen as the Latin Salutatorian for the ceremony. The Latin Salutatorian is to deliver her address in Latin, which is one of the oldest parts of the ceremony.

According to a short profile of her shared on Harvard Magazine, the 28-year-old has a deep musical background. She studied piano performance at the New England Conservatory of Music during her high school days at Phillips Exeter Academy.

Nanor's profile on her high school website indicates that she inherited her musical prowess from her parents, who are both "musically inclined". At age 3, her parents gave her her first piano.

At just age 5, she transitioned to a full-sized keyboard before her parents decided to pay for professional lessons for her because of her talent and passion.

Nanor has been the music director for Harvard's Din & Tonics a cappella group, with whom she is setting out on a world tour a few days after graduation.

She also loves ancient languages, an affinity which started early in high school, where she first studied ancient Greek and Latin. Aside from English, Nanor is proficient in Greek, Latin, and ancient Egyptian.

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