Linah Kelebogile Mohohlo (13 February 1952 – 2 June 2021) was a Botswana banker and university chancellor. She was the first female Governor of the
Bank of Botswana
The Bank of Botswana (BoB) is the central bank of Botswana.
When Botswana gained independence from Britain in 1966, the country was part of the Rand Monetary Area (RMA). In 1974 Botswana withdrew from the RMA, and the Bank of Botswana and Finan ...
from 1999 to 2016. She was also the first female Chancellor of the
University of Botswana
The University of Botswana, popularly known as UB, was established in 1982 as the first institution of higher education in Botswana. The university has three campuses: one in the capital city Gaborone, one in Francistown, and another in Maun. T ...
, serving from 2017 to 2021.
Mohohlo was a member of the
Commission for Africa
The Commission for Africa, also known as the Blair Commission for Africa, was an initiative established by the British government to examine and provide impetus for development in Africa. Initiated in Spring 2004, its objectives include the generat ...
. She was also part of the
Africa Progress Panel (APP), a group of ten individuals who advocate for equitable and sustainable development in Africa.
Education
Mohohlo was born on 13 February 1952. She completed a diploma in accounting and business at the
University of Botswana
The University of Botswana, popularly known as UB, was established in 1982 as the first institution of higher education in Botswana. The university has three campuses: one in the capital city Gaborone, one in Francistown, and another in Maun. T ...
,
a bachelor's degree in economics at
George Washington University
, mottoeng = "God is Our Trust"
, established =
, type = Private federally chartered research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.8 billion (2022)
, preside ...
,
and a master's degree in finance and investment at
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university , public research university in Exeter, Devon, England, United Kingdom. Its predecessor institutions, St Luke's College, Exeter School of Science, Exeter School of Art, and the Camborne School of Min ...
. She also took part in an executive management programme at
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
.
Career
Mohohlo was the Governor of the
Bank of Botswana
The Bank of Botswana (BoB) is the central bank of Botswana.
When Botswana gained independence from Britain in 1966, the country was part of the Rand Monetary Area (RMA). In 1974 Botswana withdrew from the RMA, and the Bank of Botswana and Finan ...
from 1999 to 2016, following a 23-year career with the Bank, during which she worked in support and policy areas (e.g. Board Secretariat, Human Resources, Research and Financial Markets Departments). She has also worked for the
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster globa ...
(IMF) as a Special Appointee. In her capacity as Governor of the IMF for Botswana, she was a member of the
International Monetary and Financial Committee
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster glo ...
(IMFC: 2000-02), representing the Africa Group 1 Constituency, which comprises 21 Sub-Saharan African countries.
In addition to having been a member of the inaugural Botswana Economic and Advisory Council, Mohohlo served on boards of major corporations in Botswana and abroad. Among her several international engagements, she was appointed Eminent Person in 2002 by the former Secretary General of the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan (; 8 April 193818 August 2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder ...
, charged with the responsibility of overseeing the evaluation of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s.
She also served as a member of the Commission for Africa that was chaired by the former UK Prime Minister
Tony Blair
Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...
; the Commission's Report, “Our Common Interest”, was published in 2005.
Mohohlo was a member of the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was l ...
’s Committee on Financial Services for the poor. She sat in the Investment Committee of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund and has co-chaired the meeting of the
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, ...
for Africa in Cape Town in May 2011.
Mohohlo was also a member of the
Africa Progress Panel
The Africa Progress Panel was a Swiss-based foundation that aimed to bring about policy change through unique combination of cutting-edge analysis, advocacy and diplomacy. The panel's members had access to the worlds of politics, finance, busi ...
(APP), a group of ten distinguished individuals who advocate at the highest levels for equitable and sustainable development in Africa. Every year, the Panel releases a report, th
Africa Progress Report that outlines an issue of immediate importance to the continent and suggests a set of associated policies. In 2012, the Africa Progress Report highlighted issues of Jobs, Justice, and Equity. The 2013 report outlined issues relating to oil, gas, and mining in Africa.
In May 2015,
United Nations Secretary-General
The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
The role of the secretary-ge ...
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon (; ; born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was his country's Minister ...
appointed Mohohlo as member of the High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing, an initiative aimed at preparing recommendations for the 2016
World Humanitarian Summit
The United Nations World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) was held in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 23 and 24, 2016. The summit was an initiative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon and was organized by the United Nations Office for the ...
. In 2021, she was appointed to the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...
's Council on the Economics of Health For All, chaired by
Mariana Mazzucato
Mariana Francesca Mazzucato (born June 16, 1968) is an economist with dual Italian–American citizenship. She is a professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value at University College London and founding director of the UCL Institute ...
.
In July 2017, Tlou Energy Limited, the AIM and ASX listed company focused on delivering power in Botswana and southern Africa through the development of coal bed methane ("CBM"), announced that the Company had appointed Mohohlo to the Board as a Non-Executive Director.
Mohohlo has authored and/or published several papers and book chapters in economics, finance/investments, reserves management and governance.
Awards and recognition
* Mohohlo was awarded the prestigious title of “Central Bank Governor of the Year (2001) for Africa and the Middle East Region” by the Financial Times Magazine, The Banker.
* Mohohlo received special recognition for outstanding achievement “Social Responsibility Award” by
Zenith Bank
Zenith Bank Plc is a large financial service provider in Nigeria and Anglophone West Africa. It is licensed as a commercial bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the national banking regulator. As of 31 December 2019, it holds $16.1bn in total ass ...
. She was also recognized as the Banking Regulator of the Year by both the
Intercontinental Bank and
Fidelity Bank, 2008.
Death
Mohohlo died from
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
complications at the age of 69 on 2 June 2021, in
Gaborone
Gaborone ( , , ) is the capital and largest city of Botswana with a population of 246,325 based on the 2022 census, about 10% of the total population of Botswana. Its agglomeration is home to 421,907 inhabitants at the 2011 census.
Gaboron ...
during the
COVID-19 pandemic in Botswana
This article documents the impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Botswana.
Background
On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of peo ...
.
Bibliography
Publications
* Linah K Mohohlo: Liquidity conditions in Botswana banks Speech by Ms Linah K Mohohlo, Governor of the Bank of Botswana, at the press briefing on banks' liquidity condition, Gaborone, 26 March 2015.
*Linah K Mohohlo: The role of information technology in domestic economic development and regional integration - opportunities and related challenges Speech by Ms Linah K Mohohlo, Governor of the Bank of Botswana, at the Gala Dinner of the SWIFT 2013 Africa Regional Conference, Gaborone, 22 May 2013.
*Linah K Mohohlo: Developing and diversifying Botswana's banking sector Keynote speech by Ms Linah K Mohohlo, Governor of the Bank of Botswana, at the official launch of Bank of India (Botswana) Limited, Gaborone, 9 August 2013.
*Linah K Mohohlo: 2010 Monetary Policy Statement Speech by Mrs Linah K Mohohlo, Governor of the Bank of Botswana, at the launch of the Monetary Policy Statement for 2010, Gaborone, 25 February 2010.
*Linah K Mohohlo: Botswana's Monetary Policy Statement for 2012 Remarks by Ms Linah K Mohohlo, Governor of the Bank of Botswana, at the launch of the Monetary Policy Statement for 2012, Gaborone, 20 February 2012.
*Mohohlo, L. K. (2015). Africa Academy of Management 2nd Biennial Conference at the University of Botswana, Gaborone “Sustainable Development in Africa through Management Theory, Research and Practice” Official Opening. ''Africa Journal of Management'', ''1''(1), 89-93. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322373.2015.994427
*Mohohlo, L. K. (2008). Monetary Policy Statement-2008. ''Bank of Botswana''
References
External links
Tribute - Linah Kelebogile Mohohlo - Bank of Botswana Former Governor
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohohlo, Linah
1952 births
2021 deaths
Commission for Africa members
Governors of the Bank of Botswana
Botswana women
University of Botswana alumni
George Washington University alumni
Alumni of the University of Exeter
Yale University alumni
University of Botswana faculty
Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Botswana
Women bankers