Ghanaian media personality and SDG Advocate, Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, made Ghana proud at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where she moderated two high-level panel discussions and delivered remarks on another at the prestigious Goals Lounge, a special initiative convened by the UN Deputy Secretary-General and hosted by the UN Office for Partnerships.
The event, held on Thursday, September 25, 2025, showcased a strong display of African leadership and global collaboration. Nana Yaa Sarpong, who is celebrating 26 years of impact in media, became the first Ghanaian to host the initiative, delivering a compelling performance that earned widespread admiration.
The Goals Lounge brought together world leaders, UN officials, private sector executives, and media practitioners to address urgent global challenges. Nana Yaa Sarpong shared the stage with distinguished figures including H.E. Jessica Alupo, Vice President of Uganda; Annemarie Hou, Executive Director of UN Partnerships; Gerd Müller, Director-General of UNIDO; Edmondo Cirielli, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy; Federica Diamanti, Associate Vice President for External Relations at IFAD; and Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications.
Also present were Arthur Karuletwa, VP for Sustainable Sourcing and Impact at Chobani; Vanusia Nogueira, Executive Director of the International Coffee Organization; Solomon Sabiti Rutega, Secretary-General of the Inter-African Coffee Organisation; Andrea Illy, President of illycaffè; Ambassador John Ulanga, Director of International Trade and Economic Diplomacy at Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Kalliopi Mingeirou, Chief of Ending Violence against Women at UN Women; Olusola Momoh, Co-founder and Vice Chairman of Channels Television, Nigeria; Jennifer Zabasajja, Chief Africa Anchor at Bloomberg; and Ginger Zee, Chief Meteorologist and Climate Correspondent for ABC News, among other notable voices from international organizations and industry.
Her first session, “Brewing Sustainability: The Global Coffee Dialogue,” examined sustainable sourcing and the future of the global coffee trade as a means of sustaining livelihoods. The discussion highlighted how multi-stakeholder partnerships are strengthening the global coffee value chain as a catalyst for sustainable development. With over 12.5 million farmers depending on coffee, 80 per cent of them smallholders, the panel explored coffee’s critical link to agriculture, industry, and climate policy. The Advancing Climate Resilience and Transformation in African Coffee (ACT) Programme was also spotlighted as a key platform for investment and collaboration.
Nana Yaa Sarpong then moderated the thought-provoking panel, “Reframing the SDGs: Africa’s Voice, Media’s Power, and Impactful Narratives.” The session explored how Africa can redefine the SDG narrative by centring its own voices, experiences, and innovations. Through storytelling for impact, panellists discussed how media can amplify African-led solutions and drive public engagement. The conversation underscored the vital role of journalists, creatives, and communicators in shaping a development narrative that reflects Africa’s resilience, complexity, and promise.
She also delivered remarks at a third session titled “Beyond the Headlines: How Women Media Leaders Are Expanding the Story.” The discussion examined how women in media are breaking barriers, challenging bias, and reshaping narratives through inclusive storytelling. Drawing insights from the UN Global Women in Media Report 2025, the session celebrated the growing influence of women leaders in shaping global conversations around peace, security, and progress.
Reflecting on her participation, Nana Yaa Sarpong described the experience as both an honour and a responsibility.
“It is a privilege to use my platform to highlight issues of sustainability, gender equity, and Africa’s leadership in shaping global narratives,” she said.
The sessions, now available for public viewing, formed part of the broader activities of the 80th UNGA, which continues to convene world leaders, policymakers, civil society, and private sector partners in pursuit of accelerated progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.
Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong is an entrepreneur, international trade consultant, pastor, and women and youth advocate. She serves as General Manager of Ghana’s EIB Network and is the Founder and President of Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA), an initiative recently launched to accelerate growth toward closing the SDG gaps, including gender inequality.
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