United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Nigerian diplomat and development expert Ahunna Eziakonwa as his new Special Adviser on Africa, recognizing her nearly three decades of leadership across the UN system.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Nigeria’s Ahunna Eziakonwa as his new Special Adviser on Africa, entrusting the seasoned development expert with a key role in advancing the UN’s engagement across the continent.
The appointment was announced on Friday, June 13, 2026, with Eziakonwa succeeding Cristina Duarte of Cabo Verde.
In announcing the appointment, Guterres expressed appreciation to Duarte for her commitment and dedicated service to the United Nations during her tenure.
Eziakonwa brings nearly three decades of leadership experience within the United Nations system to the position, having held a range of senior development, humanitarian, and political roles 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 the organisation’s support to 46 African countries.
In that role, she has been responsible for coordinating initiatives aimed at advancing the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as supporting the African Union’s Agenda 2063 development framework.
Since assuming leadership of the bureau in 2018, Eziakonwa has played a significant role in shaping UNDP’s strategic approach to economic transformation, governance, and political development across the continent.
Her extensive experience covers virtually every aspect of the UN’s work in Africa, including development coordination, humanitarian response, peacebuilding, and political engagement.
Over the course of her career, she has served as United Nations Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator, and UNDP Resident Representative in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Lesotho, where she coordinated humanitarian operations and development programmes while engaging with national governments and international partners.
Eziakonwa also served as Chief of the Africa Section at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in New York, overseeing humanitarian operations across 15 African countries.
Her UN career further includes senior assignments in Liberia and Sierra Leone during critical periods in both nations’ development and recovery efforts.
At UN Headquarters, she contributed to peacekeeping operations, political affairs, strategic communications, and policy analysis relating to Africa through assignments with various UN departments.
Before joining the United Nations, Eziakonwa worked with several African civil society organisations, building expertise in governance, development, and community engagement.
Academically, she holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs with a concentration in African economic and political development from Columbia University in the United States, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pedagogy, English, and Literary Studies from University of Benin.
In addition to her native Igbo and English languages, Eziakonwa is fluent in Yoruba and possesses a working knowledge of French, skills expected to support her engagement across diverse regions of the African continent.
Her appointment is widely seen as a recognition of Nigeria’s contributions to international development and diplomacy, while also reflecting the United Nations’ continued focus on advancing sustainable development, peace, and prosperity across Africa.
Visit GMTNewsng for more news stories.