German Chancellor Angela Merkel Joins Council of Women World Leaders
Washington, D.C. – Feb 5th, 2007. The Council of Women World Leaders announced today that German Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany has become its newest Member.
In 2006, Merkel was ranked as Forbes Magazine’s most powerful woman. After being appointed in 2005 as Chancellor of Germany, she became the second woman, following Margaret Thatcher, to be Chair of the G8 summit and one of only three women to serve as President of the European Council.
Other new Members to the Council as of 2006 include Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia, Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile, and Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister of Jamaica. Chancellor Merkel is the 37th Member in this extraordinary group of leaders who provide inspiration to women around the world.
The Council of Women World Leaders is a network of current and former women heads of state and government. Mary Robinson, President of Ireland (1990-97) is Chair of the Council, and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright (1997-2001) is Chair of the Women’s Ministerial Initiative. Its Secretariat is housed at The Aspen Institute in Washington, D.C.
The Council and its Ministerial Initiative create a global architecture for giving a collective voice to women at the highest levels of government on issues crucial not only to women but all humankind. Their mission is to promote good governance and enhance the experience of democracy globally by increasing the number, effectiveness, and visibility of women world leaders.
More information about the Council of Women World Leaders at www.cwwl.org