Ghanaian professional Sydney Hushie appointed UNFPA Chief of Digital Centre of Excellence

Sydney Hushie, a Ghanaian development and innovation professional, has been appointed as Chief of the Digital Centre of Excellence at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) headquarters in New York. This appointment was made by UNFPA's Executive Director, Diene Keita. In this role, Hushie will spearhead UNFPA's global initiatives that utilize digital innovation, data, and emerging technologies to enhance the provision of sexual and reproductive health services to women, girls, and young people.

Hushie's appointment marks a transition from his position at the East and Southern Africa Regional Office of UNFPA, where he spent six years honing its innovation and digital transformation portfolio. His responsibilities included championing the application of medical drones for delivering maternal health supplies to remote regions in Madagascar and Botswana, with planned pilots in Lesotho, Zambia, and Mozambique.

Additionally, he contributed to the utilization of virtual reality tools to bolster midwife training and facilitated partnerships that bolstered new financial resources for the region's digital innovation programs.

Hushie's educational background includes a degree in International Commercial Law from the University of Cumbria in the United Kingdom. With a career spanning over 20 countries, his professional journey has encompassed development finance and innovation. Prior to joining UNFPA, Hushie held positions at the African Development Bank and the British Council.

He has worked with more than 150 countries and territories where UNFPA operates, focusing extensively on the application of innovation and technology to address development challenges.

In his new capacity, Hushie will continue to hold a specific focus on Africa, where several digital initiatives he helped develop are now being scaled. He will maintain close collaboration with UNFPA country teams across these regions. Reflecting on his appointment, Hushie emphasized the enduring influence of his Ghanaian and African background on his approach to digital development, stating that the lessons learned at home and across Africa inform his strategy for reaching underserved populations. He expressed his gratitude to the individuals in Ghana and beyond who facilitated this opportunity.