Donatella Gnisci holds a BA in International Relations from "La Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy and postgraduate degrees from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and King's College London (University of London, UK). The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises the interdependency between the building blocks of the better world in which humans aspire to live: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships. Women's political representation and inclusion in decision making are also priorities. In West Africa, emphasis is placed on economic empowerment and women’s insertion in the formal economy, particularly vis-a-vis the rise of food value chains and structural transformation in rural and urban areas.