Ahunna Eziakonwa Becomes UN Secretary-General’s Adviser for Africa
UN Secretary-General Appoints Nigerian Ahunna Eziakonwa as Special Adviser on Africa
António Guterres has appointed Nigerian diplomat and seasoned development expert Ahunna Eziakonwa as his new Special Adviser on Africa.
Eziakonwa succeeds Cristina Duarte, whose dedicated contributions and service to the United Nations were recognised and appreciated by the Secretary-General.
Bringing almost three decades of experience within the UN system, Eziakonwa has built a distinguished career in humanitarian affairs, sustainable development, peacebuilding, and political engagement across Africa.
She currently serves as Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator, and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where she oversees programmes supporting 46 African nations in achieving the UN’s Agenda 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Since taking up the position in 2018, she has played a pivotal role in shaping UNDP’s approach to economic growth, governance, and sustainable development throughout Africa.
Her extensive experience includes serving as UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator, and UNDP Resident Representative in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Lesotho, where she coordinated humanitarian responses, development programmes, and political initiatives.
Eziakonwa also served as Chief of the Africa Section at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in New York, overseeing humanitarian operations in 15 African countries. She held other senior UN positions in Liberia and Sierra Leone during significant periods in their national development.
At the UN Headquarters, she contributed to peacekeeping efforts, political analysis, and strategic communications on UN activities across Africa through the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations, Political Affairs, and Public Information.
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Before joining the United Nations, Eziakonwa worked with several civil society organisations across Africa.
She holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs with a focus on African economic and political development from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pedagogy, English, and Literary Studies from University of Benin.
A native Igbo speaker, Eziakonwa is fluent in English and Yoruba and also has a working knowledge of French.
