Balkissa Idé Siddo is the Public Policy Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at Meta (formerly Facebook). Before joining Meta, she led Amnesty International’s research and advocacy work in Central Africa. Prior to that, Balkissa led Amnesty International’s campaign work in the region. Before Amnesty she was the African Regional Coordinator for the Beyond 2015 Campaign, leading efforts to advocate for a cross-thematic framework to succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Her engagements with NGOs and governments across Sub-Saharan Africa also include work to ratify the The African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ADC), adopted by African Union (AU) member states in 2007, and efforts to ensure improved water sanitation across the region. She has also worked in the consulting and strategy sector with Monitor group/Grail Research, where her list of consulting assignments included places like Morocco, Tunisia and South Africa is long, but the two years she spent living and exploring India while working for Monitor Group were highlights.

Hailing from Niger, fluent in French, English, Zarma and Songhai, and having lived in Niger, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali, Balkissa describes herself as a true Pan-African. She is committed to creating opportunities for people and dedicates time to coaching and mentoring young African leaders. In addition to mentoring, Balkissa also holds board seats with the prominent West African business school, CESAG, and Cluster Digital Africa, a think tank that leverages tech to solve African communities’ key challenges.