Africa Region

RCP: Africa

Photo: © UNICEF/UNI197919/Schermbrucker

Regional Collaborative Platform

At the regional level, the Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP) unites all UN entities working on sustainable development to ensure full collaboration and coordination of UN assets in addressing key challenges that transcend country borders. The RCP provides policy support and access to expertise at the service of the specific needs and priorities of each region and in support of the work of Resident Coordinators and UN country teams at the country level. 

The RCP is chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General and co-chaired by two Vice-Chairs, the Executive Secretary of the Regional Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Regional Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 

Members of the RCP for Africa are: UNECA (Vice-Chair), UNDP (Vice-Chair), FAO, IAEA, ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOM, ITC, ITU, OCHA, OHCHR, UNEP, UNAIDS, UNDCO, UN DESA, UNDRR, UNESCO, UNFPA, UN-HABITAT, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNODC, UNOPS, UPU, UNV, UN-WOMEN, WFP, WHO, WMO, and World Bank.

Chair

Amina Mohamed portrait

Amina J. Mohammed

Deputy Secretary-General

Ms. Amina J. Mohammed was Minister of Environment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from November 2015 to December 2016, where she steered the country’s efforts on climate action, protecting the natural environment and conserving resources for sustainable development. 

Prior to this, she served as Special Adviser to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Post-2015 Development Planning, where she was instrumental in bringing about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Before joining the UN, Ms. Mohammed worked for three successive administrations in Nigeria, serving as Special Advisor on the Millennium Development Goals, providing advice on issues including poverty, public sector reform and sustainable development, and coordinating programmes worth $1 billion annually for MDG-related interventions. 

She is also an Adjunct Professor in Development Practice at Columbia University, and served on numerous international advisory boards and panels, including the UN Secretary-General's High-level Panel on Post-2015 Development Agenda, the Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development, the Global Development Program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the African Women’s Millennium Initiative, Girl Effect, 2016 African Union Reform and the ActionAid International Right to Education Project.

Ms. Mohammed began her 35-year career in the private sector with architects and engineers responsible for the project management of health, education and public sector buildings.

A man in a dark blue suit and purple tie with thin glasses.

Claver Gatete

Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on 06 October 2023 the appointment of Claver Gatete of Rwanda as the next Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

The Secretary-General wishes to extend his appreciation and gratitude to the former Executive Secretary, Vera Songwe of Cameroon, as well as to the Deputy Executive Secretary, Programme Support, Antonio M. A. Pedro of Mozambique, who will continue to serve as Acting Executive Secretary until Mr. Gatete assumes his functions.

Mr. Gatete is currently Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Nations in New York.  A seasoned economist, he brings to the position extensive strategic leadership expertise, coupled with international experience in the political and financial landscape of the African continent.  Mr. Gatete has served in senior government positions, notably as Minister of Infrastructure (2018-2022) and Minister of Finance and Economic Planning (2013-2018).

He has also served as Governor (2011-2013) and Deputy Governor (2009-2011) of the National Bank of Rwanda, Rwanda’s Central Bank, and Secretary General and Secretary to the Treasury at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in Rwanda (2003-2005).  He was Director General for Economic and Social Affairs in the Office of the President of Rwanda (2000-2003), during which time, he served as the President’s Representative to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and Coordinator of the National African Peer Review Mechanism.

Mr. Gatete began his diplomatic career in 2005 and was based in London until 2009 as Rwanda’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ireland and Iceland.  Prior to this, he served as National Economist of the United Nations Development Programme in Kigali (1998-2000) and Economist of Agriculture and Agri-Food and of Statistics Canada, in Ottawa, Canada (1993-1997).

Mr. Gatete holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of British Columbia in Canada. He is fluent in English with working knowledge of French.

Vice-Chair

A woman wearing a blue-patterned headwrap and a matching dress smiles and faces the camera.

Ahunna Eziakonwa

Assistant Administrator, Director, UN Development Programme’s Regional Bureau for Africa

Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa officially began her role as UNDP’s Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa on August 15th, 2018. In this role she leads UNDP’s work supporting 46 countries in Africa to achieve Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to taking up this post, Ms. Eziakonwa-Onochie was UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative and UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia (2015-2018), UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Uganda (2012-2015), and before that held the same position in Lesotho (2008-2012). She has also worked as Chief of the Africa Section for Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) where she managed over 15 country operations in Africa. Before joining the United Nations, Ms. Eziakonwa held a series of senior positions with civil society organisations in Africa. She holds a master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, with a focus on Economic and Political Development, as well as a Bachelor’s of Education degree, English and Literary studies from the University of Benin, Nigeria.

UN Country Teams for RCP: Africa
UN Entities in this Region