Manuel Ntumba is a Congolese-Togolese Diplomat, Geopolitical Advisor, Inventor, and Tech Entrepreneur. Since June 2022, Manuel Ntumba is a Member of the Diplomatic Delegation to the United Nations Committee on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM), within the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) based at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, NY, United States.
Manuel Ntumba is the Co-Founder and Global CEO of Tod’Aérs Global Network, a US-based global public-private partnership, established with a vision to support global sustainable development, technological innovation, and socio-economic progress worldwide. The professional portfolio of the network includes collaborations with the United Nations [UN], the European Union [EU], the African Union [AU]’s Presidential Panel of 2021, and many other governments, universities, international organizations, and multinational companies worldwide.
The network and its partners run the Global Development Policy Initiative (GDPi), an initiative that promotes the development of policy frameworks and implementation strategies to support public institutions, private sectors, and governments on policy matters such as geopolitics, geospatial intelligence, global development policy, foreign policy, global strategy, globalization, and ethical governance – in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
Manuel Ntumba was recently recognized among the “World’s Most Influential People of African Descent in Politics & Governance” (Global Top 100 Under 40) – in support of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 689/237. Previous honorees included the Duchess of Sussex Meghan (United Kingdom), and His Excellency Abiy Ahmed Ali: Prime Minister of Ethiopia and 2019 Nobel Peace Prize Winner; as well as other distinguished personalities worldwide.
Manuel recently launched the Mandela Satellite Initiative (MandelaSat Initiative), which brings together entrepreneurs, experts and researchers from around the world, especially from the global geospatial and space industries to collaborate on small satellites missions for developing countries in Africa, Asia-Pacific, South America and the Caribbean.
This initiative aims to support the United Nations efforts on space applications in developing countries. Manuel Ntumba also met with the Minister of communication and the Government Spokesperson of Togo, Prof. Akodah Ayewouadan, to discuss potential space capabilities and potential applications of satellite technologies in Togo and other African Countries.
Manuel Ntumba previously worked as Advisor to the African Union Presidential Panel of 2021, previously chaired by His Excellency President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo: President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and former President of the African Union (2021-2022); to develop a roadmap for the use of emerging technologies and digital innovations to achieve the Agenda 2063 of the African Union (AU).
Manuel Ntumba holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialization in Public Finance, Governance, and International Economics from Porto Business School (Portugal). After completing the first year of the Master’s program in Economics & Development Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Manuel Ntumba is a YALI Alumnus in Public Policy & Management. The Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) is an initiative of the United States Department of State launched in 2010 by President Barack Obama.
From May 2021 to May 2022, Ntumba was a Regional Partnership Manager at the Space Generation Advisory Council – in support of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications, affiliated with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) based in Vienna, Austria. Where he was overseeing all regional strategic partnerships for all 54 African countries, and member-states of the United Nations.
