Neyla Amú

Colombia |  Mayor, Timbiqui

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Neyla Amú is the mayor of Timbiqui, Colombia and is the first woman to hold this position. As mayor, she has focused on improving access to education and potable water as well as promoting women’s economic empowerment and the preservation of Afro-Colombian cultural heritage.

Before being elected in 2019, she was a professor of French, English and Spanish and worked in the Cauca government’s Office of International Cooperation. Within this office, Amú spearheaded the initiative to celebrate Europe Day, putting on an event attended by 15 ambassadors; secured 1.5 million euros in foreign funding for women’s economic empowerment in Southern Cauca; and led the department’s entrance into 10 separate voluntary accords with international organizations. In 2017, she was nominated as one of the Afro-Colombians of the year.

Amú studied gerontology at Universidad del Quindío, then foreign languages at Universidad del Valle, and received a scholarship to finalize her studies at Georgetown University, where she focused on leadership. She has also obtained a master’s degree in government and public policies from ICESI.

Amú was an event speaker at the Dialogue.