BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF
For consecutive near one decade, the United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Amina J. Mohammed, a Nigerian has occupied the position diplomatically, administratively and diligently, having attained the deputy leadership in 2017, reappointed on merit for a second term in office in 2022 on the recommendation of the Secretary General, who commended her stint at the first instance.
In his words;
“After being elected, I have the pleasure to invite the deputy secretary-general to remain in my second mandate and I hope she will accept,” Guterres said.
Mohammed, who was standing behind Guterres at the press briefing, responded with the comment: “absolute honour”.
The reappointment and recommendation by the Secretary General, Antonio Guterres of the Deputy Secretary General, was enough impetus for subsequent elevation to the exalted position of Secretary General in view of her performance in 2027.
This will be based on merit and earlier recommendation made by the Secretary General at the first stint , having observed the qualities possessed by the Deputy Secretary General.
As an administrator, entrepreneur, politician, turned diplomat, Amina Mohammed was involved in the organization of the annual United Nations General Assembly, UNGA consecutively for nine years, with efforts to resolve the developing, underdeveloped countries from the shackles of poverty, health problems, social stratification and climate change prevalent in third world countries among many others.
With these potentials of managing the convergence of countries over the years, it is obvious that ideals and ideas for global discourse is second to none.
Combining the wealth and verse of experience as a technocrat, no doubt her current stint has distinct her from the performance and achievements in many areas, particularly SDGs among many global engagements and other variables.
In her stint, Mohammed has resolved many humanitarian and natural crises across the continent that comprised the United Nations, UN with provision of more development to countries and also support heavily the African Union, AU and others.
She had also served as the special adviser to Ban Ki-moon at post-2015 development planning, which focused on the 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals.
A diplomat and politician is serving as the fifth Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.
In 2002 until 2005, Mohammed coordinated the Task Force on Gender and Education for the United Nations Millennium Project.
Mohammed later acted as the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
In 2005, she was charged with the coordination of Nigeria’s debt relief funds toward the achievement of the MDGs. Her mandate included designing a Virtual Poverty Fund with innovative approaches to poverty reduction, budget coordination and monitoring, as well as providing advice on pertinent issues regarding poverty, public sector reform and sustainable development.
During that time, she served on numerous international advisory boards and panels, including the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Post-2015 Development Agenda and the Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development. She also chaired the Advisory Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Monitoring Report on Education (GME).
From 2012, Mohammed was a key player in the Post-2015 Development Agenda process, serving as the Special Adviser to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Post-2015 development planning.
While on this role, she acted as the link between the Secretary-General, his High Level Panel of Eminent Persons (HLP), and the General Assembly’s Open Working Group (OWG), among other stakeholders. From 2014, she also served on the Secretary-General’s Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development.
Mohammed who also served as Federal Minister of Environment in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari from November 2015 to February 2017. During that time, she was Nigeria’s representative in the African Union (AU) Reform Steering Committee, chaired by Paul Kagame. She resigned from the Nigerian Federal Executive Council on 24 February 2017.
In January 2017, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced his intention to appoint Mohammed Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. In this capacity, she is a member of the UN Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (IACG).
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
