The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has appointed Nigerian development expert Ahunna Eziakonwa as the new Special Adviser on Africa.
- +Nigeria’s Ahunna Eziakonwa appointed UN Special Adviser on Africa
The appointment was announced by the United Nations in a statement published on its website on Friday.
The appointment was announced by the United Nations in a statement published on its website on Friday.
Eziakonwa succeeds Cristina Duarte of Cabo Verde, whose tenure in the role has come to an end.
The UN Secretary-General expressed appreciation for Duarte’s dedication and service to the organisation.
According to the UN, Eziakonwa brings close to 30 years of leadership experience within the organisation to her new position.
Eziakonwa currently serves as Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
In that role, she oversees UNDP’s development support across 46 African countries, helping governments advance the UN’s Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), alongside the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Since assuming the position in 2018, she has played a key role in shaping UNDP’s strategy for economic transformation, governance and sustainable development across the continent.
Eziakonwa has held several senior leadership positions within the UN system throughout her career.
She also held senior assignments in Liberia and Sierra Leone during critical periods in both countries’ development and recovery efforts.
At UN Headquarters, Eziakonwa contributed to peacekeeping operations, political analysis and strategic communications relating to the organisation’s engagement across Africa, working with the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations, Political Affairs and Public Information.
Before joining the United Nations, she worked with several civil society organisations across Africa.
Eziakonwa holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University in New York, with a focus on African economic and political development.
She also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pedagogy, English and Literary Studies from the University of Benin, Nigeria.
In addition to her native Igbo and English languages, she is fluent in Yoruba and has a working knowledge of French.
Her appointment comes at a time when the United Nations is intensifying its engagement on key challenges facing the African continent, including humanitarian crises, public health emergencies, economic development and climate resilience.
Recently, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs approved up to $60 million from its emergency response fund to support efforts to contain the ongoing Ebola outbreak linked to the Bundibugyo virus strain in Central Africa.
The World Health Organization has also designated the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), citing concerns over the absence of an approved vaccine or specific treatment for the strain currently affecting parts of the region.
