United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Nigerian development expert Ahunna Eziakonwa as his new Special Adviser on Africa.
Eziakonwa takes over from Cristina Duarte of Cabo Verde. In announcing the appointment, the UN Secretary-General expressed appreciation for Duarte’s commitment and dedicated service to the organisation during her tenure.
Currently serving as an Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Assistant Administrator, and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at UNDP, Eziakonwa oversees programmes supporting 46 African countries in their pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 development framework.
The UN noted that since assuming leadership of the bureau in 2018, she has played a significant role in shaping UNDP’s strategy on economic growth, governance, and political development across Africa.
Before her current position, Eziakonwa held several high-profile assignments within the UN system. She served as UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator, and UNDP Resident Representative in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Lesotho. She also led the Africa Section at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in New York, where she supervised humanitarian operations across 15 African nations.
Her experience further includes senior leadership roles in Liberia and Sierra Leone during critical periods of national recovery and development.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Eziakonwa is multilingual. In addition to English and her native Igbo language, she speaks fluent Yoruba and possesses a working knowledge of French.
