Birgit Pickel

Director General for Africa German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation & Development

Current position since February 2022: Director-General for Africa at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Birgit Pickel represents one of the world’s leading bilateral development partners and the largest bilateral development actor in the raw materials and extractives sector. Under her leadership, Germany promotes development-oriented raw material partnerships that strengthen governance, economic cooperation, local value creation, and responsible supply chains. She holds more than 25 years of experience in international cooperation, including more than 14 years in management positions. Regional focus: Africa; thematic focuses: global health, pandemic preparedness, sustainable economic development, climate and biodiversity. Lived and worked in USA, South Africa and  Zambia. University studies: MA in Political Science; postgraduate certificate in Development Studies. Previously: Director for Global Health, Pandemic Preparedness and One Health at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and, in that capacity, member of the Boards of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and of the Global Financing Facility, and Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Legacy Landscapes Fund. Language skills: German, English and French.