Ahunna Eziakonwa

Ahunna Eziakonwa of Nigeria was appointed as Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in 2018.

With extensive experience within the United Nations, Ms. Eziakonwa most recently served as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Ethiopia since 2015. Prior to this, she held the position of Resident Coordinator in Uganda and Lesotho. Additionally, she held various roles within the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), including Chief of the Africa Section in New York and assignments in field duty stations such as Liberia and Sierra Leone. Ms. Eziakonwa also contributed to the United Nations Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Public Information in New York. Before her UN career, she held senior positions within civil society organizations in Africa.

Ms. Eziakonwa earned a Master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, specializing in Economic and Political Development. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education, majoring in English and Literary Studies, from the University of Benin, Nigeria. Ms. Eziakonwa is married and has a daughter.