United Nations Development Programme: Guest lecture at Freie Universität Berlin on the development of the African continent
Researchers and students from Freie Universität Berlin went into dialogue with Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Administrator and UNDP Regional Director for Africa, and Melanie Hauenstein, Director of the UNDP Representation Office in Germany, following a lecture by the UN Development Programme representatives on the topic "Africa: Continent of the Future".
The lecture took place as part of a visit to Germany, during which Eziakonwa met with representatives from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Foreign Office, among others.
Eziakonwa was appointed Deputy Administrator of the UNDP and Director of the Regional Office for Africa by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in 2018. Her work focuses on gender equality, inclusion and reshaping narratives about Africa. She also wants to implement an opportunity approach for development in Africa with the vision "Africa's Promise: The UNDP Renewed Strategic Offer in Africa".
Melanie Hauenstein has been Director of the UNDP Representation Office in Germany since 2024. Previously, she held numerous senior positions within the United Nations Development Programme, most recently as Resident Representative in Lebanon.
The UNDP Representation Office in Germany works to deepen the strong partnership with Germany and further strengthen Germany's role as an international development leader and supporter of multilaterism and the work of UNDP. It aims to highlight the shared ambition between UNDP and Germany to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the promotion of democratic governance, poverty eradication, conflict prevention and climate change mitigation.
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