Executive Director
Dr. Lawalley Cole
Over thirty years in education and communication for development across Africa.
Dr. Lawalley Cole is the Executive Director of CAFOR, based at the African Union Commission Headquarters in Addis Ababa. A distinguished expert with over thirty years of progressively responsible experience, his career is dedicated to teaching, policy formulation, development planning, and programme implementation in education and communication for development.
Before leading CAFOR, he spent fifteen years as Chief of Education for UNICEF across multiple African nations, followed by ten years with ADEA at the African Development Bank as Coordinator for Communication for Education. He has shaped continental dialogue on CESA, Agenda 2063, and the African Learning Planet.
Dr. Cole represents CAFOR with AU institutions, global partners, and youth programmes across Africa — advancing communication-led education reform, digital learning infrastructure, and coalition building among governments, civil society, and the private sector.