UN Appoints Ahunna Eziakonwa as Special Adviser on Africa

On Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Ahunna Eziakonwa from Nigeria as the Special Adviser on Africa. She succeeds Cristina Duarte from Cape Verde.

Guterres expressed gratitude for Duarte's commitment and dedicated service to the organization. Eziakonwa, who currently serves as the Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has been instrumental in supporting 46 African countries in pursuing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union's Agenda 2063.

Since 2018, she has played a key role in shaping UNDP's strategic approach to economic and political development across the continent. Eziakonwa's extensive experience includes serving as the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Lesotho, and managing humanitarian operations across 15 African countries.

She holds a master's degree in international affairs focused on African economic and political development from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in English literary studies from the University of Benin, Nigeria.