Past Speaker - Justine Namara

Justine is an International Trade and Development Expert and a passionate champion and advocate for inclusive trade and sustainable development.

An internationally trained lawyer, Justine brings over ten years’ experience working on development impact, championing people-centred solutions from the grassroots to global policy change and is currently the Director of Policy and Strategic Partnerships at the Africa Trade Desk.

Prior to this, Justine led Strategic Initiatives at Skills for Change as the Associate Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives. She has also managed the partnership, outreach and advocacy portfolio at the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s EIF program in Geneva, Switzerland for least developed countries, and as the lead on gender and trade. Before this, she worked as a legal trade and development specialist in the public and private sector, reviewing policies, laws and promoting pro-poor trade and livelihoods in Uganda.

Justine is a Board Advisor at the City of Toronto’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee and also serves on OWIT-Toronto’s Board of Directors as the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, leading on attracting and growing partnerships that promote women doing business internationally.

She holds an LL.M. in International Trade and Investment Law (University of Western Cape, South Africa), a Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (BAR COURSE) and a Bachelor of Laws Degree (Hons).