UN Assistant-Secretary General begins official visits to Africa today

United Nations Assistant-Secretary General and UNDP’s Assistant Administrator and Regional Bureau for Africa Director Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa starts today an official mission to four West and Central African countries to further support governments and people of the region, particularly women and youth, in developing new paths towards a recovery from COVID-19 and breaking aid dependency.

In Cameroon, UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa Director will meet with H.E. Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon, and key ministers, and look at fostering youth empowerment. She will also participate as a keynote speaker to the 2021 Lake Chad Basin Governors Forum and discuss critical stabilization priorities in the four Lake Chad countries.

Travelling then to Nigeria, Ms. Eziakonwa aims at enhancing partnership opportunities for the post-COVID-19 landscape in Nigeria to help recover from the socio-economic fallout of the pandemic and accelerate attainment of the SDGs. The mission will strengthen the excellent relations already existing between UNDP and the Government of Nigeria at the highest level and at state and local levels, as well as enhance partnerships with the private sector, innovators and the creative industry. During her visit, she will also launch UNDP’s Accelerator Lab in Nigeria.

Ms. Eziakonwa’s visit to Chad at a critical time is a testimony of the importance UNDP gives to supporting key governance priorities during the transition period, , particularly the national dialogue. Meeting with the authorities the Regional Director will analyse current challenges and explore ways UNDP can support the transition process and help the people and the government scale up and accelerate investments in the SDGs.

Ending her mission in Ghana, UNDP’s Regional Bureau Director for Africa will launch the YouthConnekt Africa during which thousands of African youths will meet and exchange towards new and practical ideas and projects in support of development in their country and across Africa. YouthConnekt Africa (YCA) is an African home-grown solution positioned to provide relevant solutions for the global South and to support the implementation of relevant South-South initiatives to empower youth.

The official visits is as follows:

Official visit to Cameroon: Saturday 02 October – Thursday 07 October 2021
Official visit to Nigeria: Thursday 07 October – Friday 15 October 2021
Official visit to Chad: Friday 15 October – Tuesday 19 October 2021
Official visit to Ghana: Tuesday 19 October – Saturday 23 October 2021

Source: africaneditors.com/African Editors/Praise Nutakor, UNDP