K.Y. founded ACET to help countries not only understand why they should focus on transformation, but to advise them on how to do it, and help advocate for policy change at the local, regional, and global level that would benefit Africa. His acclaimed book Know the Beginning Well: An Inside Journey Through Five Decades of African Development took us through a personal account of his engagement with the people, policies, and institutions that have shaped and continue to shape the continent’s future, culminating with why creating an institution such as ACET would provide powerful African-driven solutions to problems that had plagued the continent for too long. His vision for a transformed continent has been steadfast through his time at the World Bank, the UN Economic Commission for Africa and ACET, and has left a lasting imprint on Africa’s institutions which will continue to shape the continent’s future.
Since K.Y.’s announcement, visionaries from across the development community have shared their appreciation and memories of his push for Africa’s progress and insistence on building the foundations of governance, institutions, and leadership across the continent. And while we know that this is the end of an era for ACET, we are delighted that K.Y. will remain engaged with ACET going forward as Founder and President Emeritus on its Board of Directors, alongside his continued work toward a more stable, prosperous, and citizen-driven future for his beloved Ghana.
Below, we share just a small selection of appreciation for K.Y., highlighting his passion for progress, partnership, and most of all Africa’s transformation.
“I want to congratulate K.Y. on his immeasurable contributions to Africa’s development. As one of Africa’s tenured visionaries we have benefited from his exceptional and steady leadership. As we look to the future, we are buoyed by his vision, the strength of the ACET organization, and by his tireless commitment to African transformation over the past 50 years. We wish him all the best in his next chapter of life,” said Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former President of Liberia and Chair of ACET’s Transformation Leadership Panel (TLP).
“Even as he retires I know that K.Y. has a lot more gas still left in the tank and will continue to inspire many of us. I thank him for his leadership and friendship over many years working together,” said Charles Boamah, former Senior Vice President of the African Development Bank.
“It is very difficult to imagine a key leader in this continent like K.Y. retiring at this critical moment when his unique contributions are still needed on the development landscape in Africa. We, African women, owe K.Y. for much of the progress made on gender equality and women’s empowerment agenda, and I hope we shall continue to benefit from his wisdom,” said Bineta Diop, African Union Special Envoy for Women, Peace, and Security.
“K.Y. has encouraged and mentored the younger generation of Africa’s leaders and I would like to thank him for giving me the opportunity to support him with the original strategy for ACET,” said Acha Leke, Chairman of McKinsey and Company’s Africa Practice. “It is inspiring to see how far he has taken the institution and the role it now plays in Africa’s development and economic empowerment.”
“K.Y. has been a role model for me in every sense of the word. I am proud to have known him and worked with him for so many years, and immensely grateful for all of the light he has brought to our work to drive Africa’s progress.” Said Ibrahim Mayaki, African Union Special Envoy for Food Systems, Former CEO of NPCA and AUDA-NEPAD, and former Prime Minister of Niger.
“K.Y.’s exceptional leadership and compassion are needed in our dear Continent now, more than ever,” said Ndidi Nwuneli, CEO of ONE Campaign. “However, we trust that he has raised the next generation of leaders within ACET to push the vision and passion forward.”
“I want to thank K.Y. for creating the Transformation Leadership Panel and bringing together so many incredible voices and energies to advocate for Africa,” said Reeta Roy, CEO of Mastercard Foundation. “At the same time, I’d like to recognize his leadership in service of Africa’s economic development, as an instigator and facilitator of some powerful dialogues and events that have shaped the narrative for the continent. I’ve truly enjoyed learning from and working with him.”
“I want to thank K.Y. for a lifetime of service and passion for speaking the truth. Who he is and what he represents was forever locked in my mind (and heart) many years ago, when he called African finance ministers together to warn, educate and challenge them about the economic threat posed by HIV/AIDS, at a time when only a handful of leaders on the planet were even acknowledging its existence. He changed the game then and there and there are millions of people alive today because your passion, intellect and refusal to accept excuses when fairness, people and economic progress were on the line,” said Gayle Smith, former CEO of ONE Campaign and former Administrator of USAID. “He has always emphasized the importance of building institutions, and with ACET has established an organization that is driven by but also driving the continent.”
“We need tireless dragons to light the fire to power Africa’s prosperity; KY is one of them and ACET is a product of it. It has been a pleasure and honor to be able to contribute in a small way to his vision for a transformed Africa, and to benefit from his good counsel over many years.” Said Vera Songwe, Founder and Chair of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility and non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
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