UN Secretary-General embarks on first mission to Nigeria

By Augustine Osayande

As part of his annual Ramadan solidarity visits, the United Nations’ Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, will on Tuesday 3 May, 2022 begin a two-day mission to Nigeria.

In a statement jointly signed by Director, UN Information Centre (UNIC), Ronald Kayanja and National Information Officer, UN Information Centre (UNIC), Oluseyi Soremekun, during the mission, the United Nations Secretary-General would have an audience with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Religious Leaders, Women and Youth Leaders, the Private Sector and the Diplomatic community.

The Secretary-General according to the statement, would visit the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, in Maiduguri, North-East Nigeria on Tuesday, 3 May, 2022 and thereafter proceed on a field mission to meet families deeply affected by violence and instability in North-East Nigeria, including people internally displaced and refugees.

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Mr. Guterres will also see first-hand the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities and will assess progress and challenges to the COVID-19 recovery.

The Secretary-General will have meetings with senior government officials as well as civil society representatives, including women, youth groups and religious leaders.

This will be the first mission of the ninth UNSG to Nigeria.

Accompanying him are Ms. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Mr. Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, Special Coordinator for Development in the Sahel, Mr. Annadif Khatir Mahamat Saleh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, UNOWAS .

The Secretary-General’s will go to Niger and Senegal, during which he will also highlight the impact of the Ukraine war on the African continent.

The Secretary-General began annual Ramadan solidarity visits when he was High Commissioner for Refugees, but the tradition was interrupted by the pandemic.