WPL Summit Programme

Venue: Hilton Hotel Lobby

Venue: Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Hotel

Hosted by:

• Andrija Mandić, President of the Parliament of Montenegro
• Milojko Spajić, Prime Minister of Montenegro
• Zdenka Popović, Vice President of the Parliament of Montenegro

Venue: Lobby, Hilton Hotel

Venue: Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Hotel

Welcome remarks by:

• Zdenka Popović, Vice President of the Parliament of Montenegro
• Silvana Koch-Mehrin, President & Founder, Women Political Leaders (WPL)
• Obiageli Ezekwesili, Chair of the WPL Board

Venue: Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Hotel

The global energy landscape is undergoing seismic shifts, demanding new coalitions and transparent leadership. This panel examines how policymakers can ensure a just green transition that enhances energy security, attracts climate investments, and builds credibility with citizens and global partners alike.

Speakers:

• Auhoud Said Rashid Al Bulushi, Member of the State Council of Oman
• Biljana Braithwaite, Founding Partner & CEO at Sustineri Partners
• Princess Esméralda of Belgium, Journalist, author, and activist
• Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, Chair of the WPL Board

Moderator: Maithreyi Seetharaman, Founder/Editor, The Chief Brief

Venue: Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Hotel

Investment is not just about returns; it’s a vote of confidence in a country’s leadership and direction. This panel explores how countries can create stable political environments that attract ethical, long-term investments and promote inclusive development.

Speakers:

• Francine Closener, Member of Parliament, Vice-Chair of the Committee for National Education, Children and Youth, Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg
• Ilham Essaki, Deputy of the House of Representatives of the Kingdom of Morocco
• Irene Charalambides, Vice President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Chairwoman of the Standing Committee on Human Rights and on Equal Opportunities between Men and Women, Cyprus House of Representatives
• Maida Gorčević, Minister of European Affairs of Montenegro

Moderator: Rick Zednik, Senior Advisor and Secretary of the Board, Women Political Leaders (WPL)

Venue: Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Hotel

About the session

In an era of geopolitical tension and digital transformation, political leaders across the world are facing the challenge of fostering innovation and competitiveness while safeguarding digital sovereignty. Women political leaders will be key to address this challenge, developing smart regulatory frameworks that allow for responsible technologies, while ensuring sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

This session will explore the trade-offs at the heart of this debate – from AI adoption and transatlantic tech dependencies to balanced regulatory approaches. Building on the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) ambitions and informed by global developments, the discussion will offer a space for leaders to reflect on how to shape future-ready tech policies that serve both national interests and ensure collective resilience.

Speakers

Jekaterina Rojaka, Member of the Seimas, Vice-Minister of the Economy and Innovation of Lithuania (2019-2020)
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications and Digitalisation of Ghana (2017 – January 2025), Member of the Parliament of Ghana (2013-2025)                                                                                                                           Dr. Srna Sudar, Director of the Technology Transfer Office (TTO), Montenegro
Katarina Wallin Bureau, General Manager, Head of Strategic Relations, European Government Affairs

Venue: Princess Milica Room, Hilton Hotel

About Session

By 2030, nearly 500 million women will be between the ages of 45 and 55, representing around 6% of the global population. This high‑level roundtable will address the public‑health and economic neglect of menopause, leveraging findings from WPL’s “Ending the stigma in politics on menopause” survey. It will spotlight how unmanaged symptoms, stigma and policy gaps reduce wellbeing, productivity and women’s participation – yet remain largely invisible in national healthcare strategies and workplace standards.

The discussion intends to deliver a concrete call to action to include menopause in legislative and executive agendas and bring decision‑makers together to exchange ideas and insights to advance better outcomes for women in their countries.

Speakers

Eva Biaudet, Member of Parliament, Finland
Goedele Liekens, Member of the House of Representatives, WPL Global Ambassador for Women’s Health
Neema Lugangira, Member of Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania (2020-2025); Secretary General, Women Political Leaders (WPL)
Claus Runge, Chief Health Equity Officer, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Market Access, Public Affairs & Sustainability,Bayer Pharmaceuticals

Moderator

Liz Perkins, Night News Editor, Daily Express

Venue: Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Hotel

With AI, deepfakes, and data sovereignty dominating headlines, digital governance is the new frontier of trust. This panel investigates how leaders can regulate emerging technologies, protect democracy, and ensure that innovation serves the public good.

Speakers:

• Cristina Gallach, Secretary of the Board, GWL Voices
• Maria Rachel J. Arenas, Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee; WPL Country Ambassador
• Sara Mohammad Falaknaz, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Defense, Interior, and Foreign Affairs in the Federal National Council, UAE
• Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications and Digitalisation of Ghana (2017 – January 2025), Member of the Parliament of Ghana (2013-2025)

Moderator: Vanja Radević, Attorney at Law, Founder of Radević Legal Counsel

Venue: Crystal Ballroom, Hilton Hotel

Featuring candid reflections and experiences from leaders who have rebuilt public trust through reform and vision.

• Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liberia

Facilitated by:   Silvana Koch-Mehrin, President & Founder of WPL

Venue: Staircase of the main entrance of Parliament

Venue: Parliament of Montenegro

Chaired by:

• Zdenka Popović, Vice President of the Parliament of Montenegro
• Obiageli Ezekwesili, Chair of the WPL Board

Reserved for officially appointed national delegates only.

Venue: Blue Salon, Parliament of Montenegro

About the session

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping governance, economies, and societies worldwide. The African Union Continental AI Strategy calls for inclusive, ethical, and Africa-centred approaches to harness AI for development, democracy, and sustainability. Central to this vision is ensuring that women are not only beneficiaries of AI but active decision-makers shaping its policies and applications.

This FemAI Global Lab provides a strategic platform to elevate the leadership of African women political leaders in the global AI debate. Building on insights from FemAI In-Country Labs and FemAI Conversations, it showcases how women parliamentarians are pioneering AI-enabled governance, championing gender-responsive innovation, and translating the AU Strategy into practical policies. The Lab underscores the importance of women’s representation to counter bias, close the gender digital divide, and ensure that African realities shape global AI governance.

More than a platform for visibility, the Lab is a working space: a place to generate forward-looking principles, strengthen partnerships, and affirm that African women must be at the centre of the AI revolution. Their leadership will ensure that AI contributes not only to technological advancement but also to peace, democratic resilience, and sustainable development across the continent and beyond.

Venue: Red Salon, Parliament of Montenegro

About The Session

The World Health Organisation (WHO) works to advance access to sexual and reproductive health services as a human right, contributing to improved health outcomes, gender equality and wider development; but today there is no country on track to meet globally agreed goals by 2030.

At the same time, efforts to push back on reproductive rights, science, democracy and gender equality are invigorated. New techniques and new waves of funding threaten hard-won gains in equality and policies that address women’s and girls’ specific needs.

Political commitment, smart deployment of evidence, and well-defined strategies are essential. This roundtable discussion invites WPL members to learn about the latest science from WHO and exchange strategies with WPL’s first Global Ambassador for Women’s Health, a lifelong advocate for sexual and reproductive rights, on strategies which work to drive policies that advance the health and autonomy of women and girls.

Speakers

Goedele Liekens, Member of the House of Representatives, WPL Global Ambassador for Women’s Health
Alanna Galati, Policy Scientist (SRHR), WHO Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, including HRP, the UN Special Programme – speaker
George Roberts, Global Impact Partnerships lead, LMIC family planning, Bayer

Departure from: The Parliament of Montenegro

Boarding starts at 17:30

Venue: Aqua Palace, Imanje Knjaz

Welcome address by Tamara Vujović, Minister of Culture and Media of Montenegro

Venue: Aqua Palace, Imanje Knjaz

WPL Trailblazer Awardees for 2025:

• Xiomara Castro, President of the Republic of Honduras
• Ewa Kopacz, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Prime Minister of Poland (2014-2015)

WPL Country Awardees for 2025:

• Norway
• Rwanda
• Philippines
• Pakistan

Venue: Aqua Palace, Imanje Knjaz

Departure from: Parliament Of Montenegro at 8 am

Welcome address by Vladimir Jokić, Mayor of Kotor

Welcome address by Tamara Vujović, Minister of Culture and Media of Montenegro

(Welcome drinks & buffet lunch served upon boarding)

Venue: Bay of Kotor Cruise

Culture softens the edges of politics. From arts and heritage to sports and storytelling, cultural diplomacy can repair strained relations and reshape how nations are perceived. This panel discusses how to harness cultural identity to advance national goals, foster resilience, and elevate global standing.

Speakers:

• Espérance Nyirasafari, Member of the Senate of Rwanda, Vice-President of the Senate (2019-2024)
• Mahasen Mohammad Aljaghoub, Member of the Senate of Jordan
• Shaista Pervaiz Malik, Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan; WPL Country Ambassador
• Tamara Vujović, Minister of Culture and Media of Montenegro

Moderator: Sonja Kuljača, Senior Associate for Planning and Analysis of Protection and Sustainable Development, Public Enterprise for Coastal Zone Management of Montenegro

A guided visit of the Church and Museum.

Refreshments & buffet served.

Tourism is more than leisure; it is a vehicle for diplomacy, reconciliation, and sustainable development. This session explores how strategic investment in tourism can foster cultural understanding, rebrand nations post-conflict, and drive inclusive prosperity through economic interdependence.

Speakers:

• Dejan Đurović, Member of the Parliament of Montenegro; Chairman of the Committee for Tourism, Agriculture, Ecology and Spatial Planning
• Konstantina Karampatsoli, Member of the Hellenic Parliament, WPL Country Ambassador, Greece
• Mabel Memory Chinomona, President of the Senate of Zimbabwe, WPL Country Ambassador
• Apiyo Brändle-Amolo, Member of Parliament, National Council of Switzerland

Moderator: Ujeza Doshlaniand, News Anchor at Euronews Albania

A high-level wrap-up synthesising key takeaways, action points, and regional perspectives.

Venue: Pine Promenade

Welcome address by Željko Komnenović, Mayor of Tivat (at Pine Promenade)

Special Programme organised in partnership with the Adria Future Summit

Venue: The Budva Citadel