The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has recently appointed Mr. Babatunde Ahonsi, a Nigerian national, as the United Nations resident coordinator in Türkiye, a position endorsed by the host country.
Mr. Ahonsi brings to the role a wealth of experience spanning 26 years in the field of international development, gained through various assignments both within and outside the United Nations framework.
Before this latest appointment, he effectively served as the UN Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, where he played a pivotal role in coordinating the United Nations’ developmental operations within the nation.
“During his tenure he has led the UN country team and ensured system-wide accountability on the ground for the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
“He has also coordinated UN support to Sierra Leone in its implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the UN Secretary General’s Prevention Agenda.
“Prior to this, he served UN Resident Coordinator a.i. in China from June-September 2020.
“In addition, he served as UNFPA Representative in China/Country Director for Mongolia from January 2017 to June 2020, and as UNFPA Representative in Ghana from 2014-2016.
“Between 1997 and 2014, he held senior management positions with the Ford Foundation (covering West Africa) and Population Council (covering Nigeria) overseeing reproductive health, women’s empowerment, and youth development programmes and initiatives. He had also lectured at federal universities in Ilorin, Calabar, and Lagos, Nigeria during the 1980s and 1990s,” the UN said in a statement.
Mr. Ahonsi is an alumnus of the University of Lagos, Nigeria, where he earned a BSc degree with First Class Honors in Sociology.
He furthered his education with a Ph.D. in Population Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, England. His extensive experience and academic credentials make him well-suited for his new role in Türkiye.