Ambassador Nancy Q. Sam: Driving Pan-African Health Diplomacy at the WHX Leaders Summit 2025 in Ghana

ACCRA-

The WHX Leaders Summit 2025, held in Ghana from 9–10 December 2025, stood out as one of West Africa’s most impactful health leadership gatherings, bringing together political leaders, health ministers, global development partners, and private-sector stakeholders. At the heart of the summit’s success was Ambassador Nancy Q. Sam, Vice President of the ECOWAS Tourism Private Sector under COPITOUR and Regional Representative (West Africa) for AITEC World whose leadership as On-Ground Lead Coordinator ensured a seamless and highly successful convening.

A Strong Background in Regional and Continental Engagement

Ambassador Nancy Q. Sam is widely respected for her work at the intersection of tourism diplomacy, private-sector development, and international cooperation within the ECOWAS region. Through her role at COPITOUR, she has consistently championed cross-border collaboration, institutional partnerships, and inclusive development strategies that align tourism, health, and socio-economic growth.

Ambassador Nancy Sam being presented the awards at the event in Accra, Ghana

Her appointment as Coordinator of the WHX Leaders Summit 2025 Ghana, assisted by David Sam, reflected this strong background and her proven capacity to manage high-level international events involving governments, multilateral institutions, and global corporations.

Convening Africa’s Health Leadership

Under Ambassador Nancy’s coordination, the WHX Leaders Summit successfully brought together fifteen African Ministers of Health and senior government representatives from countries including Senegal, The Gambia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Conakry, and several other African nations.

The summit also welcomed the President of the Africa -International Tourism and Economic ( Council World). reinforcing the growing recognition of the link between health systems, tourism, and economic resilience.

Adding global weight to the discussions were representatives from leading international organizations and industry partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Pfizer, Siemens Healthineers, Roche, and other major pharmaceutical supporters and strategic partners.

Their presence underscored the summit’s relevance as a platform for policy dialogue, investment, innovation, and public-private collaboration in Africa’s health sector.

Presidential Recognition and National Support

The importance of the WHX Health Summit was further highlighted by the strong backing of the Government of Ghana. The summit was officially acknowledged and honored by the President of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, who personally welcomed all dignitaries at the opening ceremony, signaling Ghana’s commitment to continental health leadership and cooperation.

Ambassador Nancy’s tireless efforts were also recognized by Ghana’s Minister of Health, Hon. Menta, who played a key role in ensuring the overall success of the summit and commended the effective coordination that made the high-level engagement possible.

International Recognition for Outstanding Leadership

In recognition of her exceptional contribution, Ambassador Nancy Q. Sam was presented with a plaque of excellence by the Vice President of Informa Markets, the global organization behind WHX and the renowned Dubai Arab Health Expo.

The award acknowledged her outstanding leadership and coordination in delivering one of the most successful major health summits in West Africa in recent years.

A Lasting Impact

The WHX Leaders Summit 2025 Ghana did more than convene leaders—it strengthened networks, advanced dialogue on health systems development, and reinforced Africa’s collective voice in global health partnerships. Ambassador Nancy Q. Sam’s role was central to this achievement, reflecting her growing influence as a continental coordinator, diplomat, and advocate for integrated development across health, tourism, and the private sector.

Her work at the summit has set a new benchmark for high-level event coordination in Africa and further positioned Ghana as a strategic hub for international health diplomacy in West Africa and beyond.