UN Secretary-General António Guterres announces the appointment of Ahunna Eziakonwa of Nigeria as his Special Adviser on Africa. The appointment is presented as a successor to Cristina Duarte of Cabo Verde, whom Guterres thanks for her commitment and dedicated service. Multiple reports describe Eziakonwa as an experienced senior UN leader with nearly three decades in UN roles connected to Africa.
At the time of the appointment, Eziakonwa serves in the UN Development Programme (UNDP) as an Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa. In that capacity, she oversees UNDP support for 46 African countries in efforts related to Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Reports add that since 2018 she has helped shape UNDP’s strategic approach to economic and political development on the continent.
The articles also highlight earlier roles across UN humanitarian, development and political work, including senior postings in multiple African countries and work with UN offices such as UN OCHA. They further note her academic background and that she speaks Igbo and English, is fluent in Yoruba, and has working knowledge of French.
