Pope Leo XIV has appointed Dr. Vera Songwe as an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, recognizing her outstanding contributions to economics, finance, and global development.
Born in Nairobi on August 31, 1968, Dr. Songwe holds degrees in economics and political science from the University of Michigan and a doctorate in mathematical economics from the Université Catholique de Louvain.
Her career spans leadership roles at the World Bank (1998–2015) and the International Finance Corporation (2015–2017). She also served as Under-Secretary-General at the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) from 2017 to 2022.
Dr. Songwe co-chairs the Independent High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance and is the founder and president of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility. She also contributes to the World Economic Forum as a speaker and Agenda Contributor and is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, founded by Pope John Paul II in 1994, advises the Catholic Church on economics, law, political science, and sociology, providing research to help address global challenges through the lens of Catholic social teaching. Membership is limited to 20–40 distinguished international scholars.
Dr. Songwe’s appointment highlights her influential role in global economic policy, climate finance, and sustainable development, marking a historic recognition of African expertise within the Vatican’s academic institutions.
