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Africa as a continent and its people

have enormous potential

Interview with

Mr. Akiwumi

Director of the Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special
Programmes (ALDC) at the United Nations Conference on Trade and

Development (UNCTAD)

Could you tell us a little about yourself, in General of the United Nations. I also worked
particular your background, both personal as chief of staff in the Office of the Deputy
and professional? Secretary-General of the United Nations,
I am a Ghanaian national. I have had the focusing on strengthening the development
opportunity to study in the United States pillar in the Office of the Secretary General.
and the UK. I’m a marine scientist and In a previous role, I was chief of staff for
oceanographer by training, and I have a master’s the United Nations Office in Nairobi. I also
degree from the University of Southampton in served for many years in the United Nations
the United Kingdom. I have been fortunate to Environment Programme, including as chief of
serve in many different capacities across the staff, developing institutional policy, managing
United Nations system. Before taking up my the action plans and conventions related to
current position as the director of UNCTAD’s small island developing states (SIDS), Eastern
Division for Africa, least developed countries and Western Africa, as well as the Red Sea
and special programmes, I served as director of and Gulf of Aden. Early in my United Nations
the Economic, Social and Development Affairs career I worked for the Food and Agriculture
Unit in the Executive Office of the Secretary- Organization on rural development projects,

w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h