Olusegun Obasanjo is a former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who has held various public positions over many years as a military officer and politician. He served as Head of State from 1976 to 1979, and later as a civilian president from 1999 to 2007, during which he pursued public sector reforms and strengthened regional cooperation.

After leaving office, he became active in international affairs, including serving as the United Nations Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, contributing to regional stabilization. In 2022, he played a key role in facilitating a ceasefire agreement in the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia. He remains engaged in efforts to promote peace and security within the framework of the African Union.

Souleymane Ndéné Ndiaye is a Senegalese politician who served as Prime Minister of Senegal in 2011. He was appointed to this position under the presidency of Abdoulaye Wade, having previously held several government roles in domestic affairs, security, and regional development.
Over many years, he has been involved in administrative reform, regional development, and infrastructure policy, and has extensive expertise in Senegal’s economic and public policy landscape. Since leaving office, he has continued to participate in international conferences and domestic policy discussions, maintaining a strong voice in public affairs. He has a strong interest in themes such as the blue economy and African development.

Ibrahim Hassane Mayaki of the Republic of Niger is the former Chief Executive Officer of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). He held this position from 2009 to April 2022 transforming the NEPAD Secretariat into the first continental development Agency.
A former Prime Minister of Niger, from 1997 to 2000 and Foreign Affairs Minister, he previously worked as a Professor of Public Administration in Niger and Venezuela.
In August 2000, he set up the Analysis Centre for Public Policy in Niger.
From 2000 to 2004, he was a guest Professor at the University of Paris XI, where he lectured on international relations. He also led research at the Research Centre on Europe and the Contemporary World within that university.
In 2004, he served as Executive Director of the Platform in support of Rural Development in West and Central Africa, the Rural Hub, based in Dakar, Senegal.
He is an Associated Member of the French Academy of Agriculture.
He is also the recipient of the following distinctions:
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from Japanese Emperor Naruhito
Commandeur de l'Ordre du Mérite agricole of France
Commandeur de l’Ordre du Mérite of Niger
Individuo de numéro of the Order Isabel la Catolica of Spain
Commandeur de l’Ordre du Lion of Sénégal

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim served as the sixth President of the Republic of Mauritius from 2015 to 2018 and is widely recognized as the first woman elected to the presidency in the country.
She is also a world-renowned biologist and a proponent of a science-based blue economy. As a leader of the island nation of Mauritius, she has been an active voice on the international stage, speaking extensively on marine biotechnology and climate change adaptation.
She is currently active as both a scientist and an elder statesperson. Known for her clear and accessible presentations, she actively participates in discussions at academic conferences and international forums.

Mehdi Jomaa is a Tunisian politician and engineer born in Mahdia, Tunisia. He studied engineering at the National Engineering School of Tunis and built a long career in managerial positions within the aerospace and defense industry.
He entered politics in 2013 as Minister of Industry, and served as Prime Minister of Tunisia from January 29, 2014, to February 6, 2015. As Prime Minister, he led a nonpartisan technocratic government, helping to overcome political deadlock, organize elections, and advance the country’s democratic transition.
After leaving office, he has been active in the fields of political reform and policy advocacy, and in 2017 he founded a new party, “Tunisia Alternative.” He has also been actively engaged in and contributed to conferences on Africa’s blue economy.

Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina is a globally respected leader and renowned economist with four decades of experience in advancing Africa’s economic development and global partnerships.
He served as the 8th President and Chairman of the Boards of Directors of the African Development Bank Group from 2015 to 2025, during which he expanded the Bank’s capital base from $93 billion to $318 billion. Under his leadership, the African Development Bank maintained its AAA global credit rating, remaining the only AAA-rated financial institution in Africa. The Bank’s work during his tenure transformed lives across the continent, impacting more than 565 million people.  
Prior to leading the African Development Bank Group, he served in various roles including Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, where he led major reforms to enhance food production and rural development. He has built a distinguished career in global development, particularly in agriculture and food security. He is widely known for advocating transformative economic growth in Africa through innovation, infrastructure investment, and the empowerment of youth and women. He is highly respected for his leadership in addressing poverty and hunger across the continent, and his contributions to sustainable development are recognized globally.
He is Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of the Global Africa Investment Summit, a global platform focused on mobilizing capital to unlock the value of Africa’s vast sovereign assets. He was awarded the World Food Prize in 2017. In 2019 he won the Sunhak Peace Prize. He was twice named Forbes Africa Person of the Year. In 2024, he was recognized as African of the Decade.

Yohei Onishi is a member of the House of Representatives belonging to the Liberal Democratic Party, elected from Tokyo’s 16th district (serving 2 terms).
Born in 1978 in Edogawa City, Tokyo. After graduating from Rissho University, worked at a Canon sales company and Tokyu Livable, Inc., among others. Served three terms as a member of the Edogawa City Assembly, holding positions such as Chair of the Assembly Steering Committee and Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party. Completed the Master’s Program at the Graduate School of Governance Studies, Meiji University. First elected in the 50th general election of the House of Representatives in 2024, and appointed Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2025 (Takaichi Cabinet).

Yohei Sasakawa is Honorary Chairman of The Nippon Foundation and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. After graduating from Meiji University’s School of Political Science and Economics, he became President of The Nippon Foundation in 1989 and led the organization as Chairman from 2005 to 2025. During his tenure, he oversaw initiatives in ocean policy, social welfare, education, disaster relief, and international cooperation. As the World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination, he has actively promoted global awareness and support for people affected by the disease. He also serves as Japan’s Special Envoy for National Reconciliation in Myanmar, where he has engaged in dialogue and support for ethnic minorities and peacebuilding efforts. His current work focuses on advancing social innovation and inclusive development through collaborative approaches across sectors.

Since 2020, Atsushi Sunami has served as President of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. He graduated from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and earned both a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. After working as a researcher at the Nomura Research Institute’s Policy Research Department, he held various academic positions at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), including Associate Professor, Professor, and Vice President. He currently serves as Special Advisor to the President and Director of the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Research Center at GRIPS. He has also contributed to government policymaking as a member and advisor on science, technology, and innovation policy for agencies such as the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the fields of science diplomacy and international cooperation, he has been actively engaged in policy proposals and institutional design through dialogue and collaboration.

Masanori Kobayashi is Senior Research Fellow of the Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF), and formerly Senior Research Fellow and Program Director of SPF. He undertakes research work on ocean and sustainability policy including sustainable blue economies, marine environment and resource management, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution control, ocean based renewable energies, and regional and international cooperation and partnership. He worked on sustainability issues at the Ocean Policy Research Foundation, the Yokohama National University, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, the United Nations (New York, Geneva and Bonn) and the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His publications include Kobayashi, M. et al (2022) Capitalizing on Co-Benefits and Synergies to Promote the Blue Economy in Asia and the Pacific”. In: Morgan, P. et al. eds. Blue Economy and Blue Finance – Toward Sustainable Development and Ocean Governance. Asian Development Bank Institute, pp. 150 – 189. He has been speaking and moderating various sessions including some of the recent ones such as the Honiara Summit on Sustainable Fisheries in Feb. 2025, Ocean Pavillion at the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Nikkei Blue Ocean Forum, the World Ocean Summit 2023 and 2024, Our Ocean Conference 2023 in Panama and OOC 2022 in Palau.