H.E. Hilda Suka-Mafudze

African Union Ambassador to the USA 

Over the years, Ambassador Suka-Mafudze has been a committed partner. She not only served as our keynote speaker at the first-ever Congressional hearing on widows in 2022 but that same year she penned a commemoration of widows for International Widows' Day, highlighting the challenges widows face and the need for global action.

H.E. Hilda is a career diplomat who has served as the African Union Ambassador to the United States of America since October 2021. As the leader of the AU's diplomatic mission, Ambassador Suka-Mafudze strives to strengthen bilateral ties, advance trade and investment, promote peace and security, and foster cultural and democratic exchanges between the U.S. and all 55 AU member countries.

Her diplomatic career includes over two decades of service to her home country, Zimbabwe. She represented Zimbabwe in Sudan and South Sudan from 2010 to 2019, and went on to serve as Ambassador to Malawi, where she chaired the regional ambassadors' group for the South African Development Community (SADC).

Ambassador Suka-Mafudze's leadership and dedication have also extended to supporting the rights of widows including in her role in the AU - the Africa Group sponsored the UN Resolution 76/252, "Addressing the Situation of Widows" passed on March 15, 2022.

We are grateful to Her Excellency for accepting our invitation to our gala, for her partnership, and for her dedication to realizing the human rights of widows.