Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Nigeria’s esteemed diplomat and scholar, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, is billed for series of high-profile engagements at the upcoming 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, cementing Nigeria’s pivotal role in continental and global affairs.

This development comes fresh from a strategic meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, where the five-member high-level Panel of Eminent Experts, of which Prof. Gambari is a member, commenced a comprehensive review of the African Union’s Governance, Peace, and Security Frameworks.

The team of five is led by former South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and comprises Gambari; Amre Moussa, former Foreign Minister of Egypt and former Secretary-General of the League of Arab States; Sam Kutesa, former Ugandan Foreign Minister and former President of the UN General Assembly; and Mahamet Saleh Annadif, former UN Under-Secretary-General and Head of United Nations Office on West Africa and Sahel (UNOWASS), and former Foreign Minister of Chad.

Accompanying the AU high-level Panelists in Nairobi was AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye.

The Nairobi meeting, held from September 1–5, was convened under the auspices of the AU Champion for Institutional Reforms, President William Ruto of Kenya. It follows a decisive mandate from the 38th AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in February 2025.

The panel’s critical assignment is to reposition the AU to more effectively address persistent and emerging threats, enhance institutional coherence, and deliver on the peace and security aspirations of Agenda 2063.

Professor Gambari’s leadership in this reform process underscores Nigeria’s continued influence in and ECOWAS’ significant contributions to shaping the architecture for peace and development in Africa.

Following the Nairobi consultations, Prof. Gambari is travelling to New York, where his expertise will be sought at multiple significant events on the sidelines of UNGA.

His schedule includes a keynote address at the African Economic Global Convergence (AEGC) Summit on September 21st, where he will also be honoured with the prestigious ‘AEMA Black Prize’ for his unparalleled excellence in international service and diplomacy.

Furthermore, he has been invited to a Presidential Roundtable on September 21st titled “From Ezulwini to an Equitable World Order: Power, Peace, Prosperity and Reparations,” organised by the Africa Governance Institute and the Open Society Foundations. The event will mark key anniversaries, including the 20th year of the Ezulwini Consensus, which demands Africa’s rightful place in the UN Security Council.

Adding to his duties, Prof. Gambari has been invited to chair a high-level Roundtable on September 25th on “Unlocking Energy, Oil & Gas, Minerals, Aviation and Maritime Opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea: A Roadmap for Peace and Security,” convened by The New Diplomat.

Prof. Gambari’s career includes serving as Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Under-Secretary-General of the UN, Joint AU-UN Special Representative for Darfur, and most recently, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

His engagements in New York are seen as activities aimed at promoting not only Nigeria’s interests but also those of West Africa, the African continent, and the pursuit of a more peaceful, prosperous, and just world order.

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