The World Fellows

Africa Regional Director, Open Society Foundation

Abdul Tejan-Cole is the Africa Regional Director of the Open Society Foundation, New York and Acting Executive Director of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). A noted human rights lawyer and activist, he was Commissioner of Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission, Deputy Director of the International Center for Transitional Justice’s Cape Town office, and worked as Adviser and Component Manager for the Justice Sector Development Programme. He served as Secretary General, Vice President, and President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association. He was Board Chair of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, West Africa Democracy Radio, Open Society Justice Initiative and Timap for Justice. He also worked as a trial attorney and Appellate Counsel in the Special Court for Sierra Leone and taught law at the University of Sierra Leone.