First Lady Mrs. Veronique Herminie attended the 15th African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) Annual Meeting and the 11th African Women in Tax Network (AWITN) Board Meeting, held in Algiers, Algeria, from 3–7 November 2025.During the event, Mrs. Herminie formally handed over her role as AWITN Chairperson to Mrs. Jeneba Bangura, Commissioner General of Sierra Leone’s National Revenue Authority, marking the end of her mandate as she assumes her new duties as First Lady.
The handover took place during a high-level session on Gender Equality and Tax Systems at the Centre International de Conférences. As Chairperson since 2023, Mrs. Herminie led several milestones, including expanding AWITN’s Mentorship Programme, which has empowered over 250 women across Africa.
Under her tenure, the number of female Commissioner Generals rose from two to nine, highlighting the network’s growing influence in gender-inclusive tax leadership. She also introduced the AWITN Pledge in 2024, a commitment to gender equality in tax administration, now endorsed by 21 ATAF member countries, with Algeria and Uganda joining during this year’s meeting. In her farewell address, Mrs. Herminie reaffirmed her support for AWITN’s mission and expressed confidence in Mrs. Bangura’s leadership.
Mrs. Bangura, previously AWITN Vice Chair, will now guide the network toward its fifth anniversary in 2026 and implement the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan focused on leadership development, gender mainstreaming, and evidence-based policymaking.
This transition marks a new chapter for AWITN as it continues to champion gender equality and empower women leaders across Africa’s tax systems.