United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has announced the appointment of veteran Nigerian diplomat Ahunna Eziakonwa as his new Special Adviser on Africa. The announcement, made via an official UN statement, confirms that Eziakonwa will succeed Cristina Duarte of Cabo Verde.
Guterres expressed his profound gratitude to Duarte for her “commitment and dedicated service to the Organization” during her tenure. Eziakonwa steps into the high-profile role with nearly three decades of leadership experience within the United Nations system, particularly in steering economic, humanitarian, and political development across the African continent.
Prior to this appointment, Eziakonwa served as the UN Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator, and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In that capacity, she spearheaded UNDP’s strategic approach, overseeing support to 46 African nations as they navigated the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
”Since 2018, she has helped shape UNDP’s strategic approach to economic and political development across the continent,” the UN statement highlighted. Eziakonwa’s extensive field experience spans several critical assignments across Africa. She has served as the UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator, and UNDP Resident Representative in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Lesotho.
As the Chief of the Africa Section at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in New York, she managed complex operations across 15 African countries. She held senior positions in Liberia and Sierra Leone during pivotal transitional periods for both nations and contributed heavily to the UN Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Public Information.
The newly appointed Special Adviser holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) in New York, focusing on economic and political development.
She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education, English, and Literary Studies from the University of Benin, Nigeria. Reflecting the diverse continent she is set to advise on, Eziakonwa is a multilingual diplomat. In addition to English and her native Igbo, she speaks fluent Yoruba and possesses a working knowledge of French.
Her appointment reinforces Nigeria’s footprint in top-tier global diplomacy and comes at a crucial time as the UN seeks to deepen its partnership with the African Union to foster stability and economic growth.
