Cheru Fantu

Originally from Ethiopia, Professor Fantu Cheru has been the Research Director of the Nordic Africa Institute since August 2007. Prior to this, he taught development economics at the American University, Washington DC. Fantu Cheru is a leading expert in African development, with field experience in more than 20 African countries. He currently serves as a member of the UN Secretary-General's Panel on International Support for the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) as well as Convenor of the Global Economic Agenda Track of the Helsinki Process on Globalization and Democracy. He has served both as advisor and consultant to a number of governments and donor institutions (UNECA, UNDP, UN-Habitat, SIDA, DANIDA, NORAD, etc.). He is the author of several books, including The African Renaissance: Roadmaps to the Challenge of Globalisation (2002). He holds a PhD from Portland State University.