New Chairperson of IAEA Board of Governors for 2025 Elected

Seasoned Diplomat to Lead the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Governing Body through 2025.

In a special session today, the IAEA Board of Governors elected Ambassador Matilda Aku Alomatu Osei-Agyeman of Ghana as its Chairperson for the year 2025. Ambassador Osei-Agyeman will serve the remainder of the term previously held by Ambassador Philbert Abaka Johnson of Ghana, who was elected in September 2024. Her term officially begins today and will conclude in September 2025.

Ambassador Osei-Agyeman, who is the Permanent Representative of Ghana to the IAEA and other international organizations in Vienna, brings over 25 years of diplomatic experience to the role. Her extensive career spans both bilateral and multilateral issues, where she has held several key positions, both in Ghana and internationally.

Before her current position in Vienna, Ambassador Osei-Agyeman served as Minister Plenipotentiary and Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of Ghana to Italy between 2023 and 2024. She has also represented Ghana in diplomatic postings across the United Kingdom, Malta, the United States, and at the United Nations Office in Geneva, further solidifying her credentials as a seasoned and versatile diplomat.

Her leadership roles extend beyond her postings abroad. From 2021 to 2023, she served as Director of the Europe Bureau in Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. Additionally, she made history as the first Director of the Candidatures Portfolio in 2021, where her strategic advocacy was instrumental in Ghana’s election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2022-2023 term.

Ambassador Osei-Agyeman holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Ghana and a Master of Arts in International Affairs from the Legon Centre for International Affairs & Diplomacy. Throughout her career, she has also participated in various leadership and diplomatic training programs, further enriching her expertise.

The election of Ambassador Osei-Agyeman underscores Ghana’s growing influence on the global stage, particularly in multilateral organizations such as the IAEA. Her appointment reflects the country’s continued commitment to international cooperation and advancing nuclear energy governance on behalf of global peace and security.

As Chair of the IAEA Board of Governors, Ambassador Osei-Agyeman will lead key discussions and decisions on matters related to nuclear energy, safety, and security worldwide, further strengthening the IAEA’s role in global nuclear cooperation. She is expected to bring a wealth of experience and a forward-looking vision to guide the agency’s governance in 2025.