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JB rated Africa’s most powerful woman

Malawi President Joyce Banda has been ranked the most powerful woman in Africa and 47th in the world , according to a Forbes list of 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.

Banda, 63, became Malawi’s first female president on April 7 2012 after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika. She is the second on the African continent.

Nigeria Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, 58, is second whereas Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, 74, is third in Africa but the two lie on positions 83 and 87 in the world ranking respectively.

Leading the global pack is German Chancellor Angela Merkel whereas Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is on position 40.

The latest Forbes annual snapshot of the 100 women with the most impact includes top politicians and chief executive officers, activist billionaires and celebrities who matter.

It said Banda spent her initial year in office pushing for rapprochement with the international donor community while grappling with spiralling inflation and an angry populace at home.

Reads the statement on Banda’s ranking: “But her decision to devalue Malawi’s currency by 50 percent—to meet IMF conditions—has resulted in soaring costs for food and fuel and widespread protests. Her first 12 months were also marked by progress in decriminalising homosexuality and major public health initiatives such as the $15 billion Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB and Malaria.”

However, Banda has been put on the spotlight for refusing to apologise for her office’s claims that pop star Madonna made “poor people dance for her” and failed to keep promises to build schools in Malawi.

Forbes said it selected women that go beyond the traditional taxonomy of the power elite (political and economic might).

This year, the list features nine heads of State who run nations with a combined GDP of $11.8 trillion.

To determine the rank within each category, as well as overall rank on the list of 100, Forbes applied three metrics — money, media presence and impact.

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