Fresh from his fact-finding tour of Ukraine last week, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will tomorrow, Tuesday 3rd May 2022, begin a two-day mission to Nigeria,
The visit is the first to Nigeria by Mr. Guterres as UN Secretary-General.
His activities during his Nigerian mission include audiences with President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Religious Leaders; Women and Youth Leaders; the Private Sector and the Diplomatic community.
On his arrival day, the Secretary-General will visit the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum, in Maiduguri, and thereafter proceed on a field mission to meet families deeply affected by violence and instability in north-east Nigeria, including the internally displaced persons and refugees and specifically, will engage with IDPs, and beneficiaries of the Stabilisation Project in Banki.
Mr. Guterres will also see first-hand, the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities and assess progress and challenges to the COVID-19 recovery.
The Secretary-General will also have meetings with senior government officials and civil society representatives, including women, youth groups and religious leaders.
Accompanying him to Nigeria 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; and 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.
Other engagements include a Wreath-laying ceremony at UN House on Wednesday 4th May in honour of victims of the bomb blast at the UN House in 2011.
According to the UN Information Centre, Nigerian mission is part of the Secretary-General’s annual Ramadan solidarity visits, and he will also go to Niger and Senegal, during which he will highlight the impact of the Ukraine war on the African continent.
The Secretary-General began the annual Ramadan solidarity visits when he was High Commissioner for Refugees, but the tradition was interrupted by the pandemic. This year, he will also use the visit to express his solidarity with victims of terrorism in the West African sub-region.
