UN Appoints Ahunna Eziakonwa as Special Adviser on Africa

On [date not specified], United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Ahunna Eziakonwa as the Special Adviser on Africa, succeeding Cristina Duarte. Guterres expressed appreciation for Duarte's commitment and dedicated service to the organization.

Eziakonwa currently serves as the Assistant Secretary-General and the Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In this role, she oversees UNDP's support for 46 African countries working towards sustainable development goals aligned with the African Union's Agenda 2063.

Eziakonwa has previously served as the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, as well as the UNDP Resident Representative in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Lesotho. She has managed operations across 15 African countries and held senior positions during critical periods in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Eziakonwa is fluent in English, a native Igbo speaker, and speaks Yoruba, with knowledge of French.