The Minister of Finance, Budget & National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed received in audience the United Nations Assistant Secretary General/ UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa; accompanied by the UNDP Nigeria Resident Representative Mr. Mohamed Yahya and their team, recently at the Ministry of Finance HQ in Abuja.
The meeting was held to explore opportunities for further collaboration in advancing Nigeria’s development agenda.
Discussions were held on the Integrated National Financing Framework INFF, the Regional Stabilization Facility, Climate Change, closing the financing gap towards attaining the SDGs and Gender Responsive Budgeting amongst other topics.
Ms. Eziakonwa commended the Minister for her support as Chair of the INFF Steering Committee and also for ensuring that for the first time Nigeria is using a gender lens in the budgeting process, thereby supporting the transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs that says “Leave no one behind” LNOB.
The Minister in her remarks, appreciated the visit and commended the United Nations/UNDP for their work in Nigeria and especially the support in the significant improvement for the safety of people and IDPs in the North-East. She reiterated Nigeria’s commitments towards working together with their various agencies including UN Women Nigeria to reduce poverty and achieve structural transformation.
Ms. Eziakonwa is part of a growing number of Nigerian women leaders in international organizations. She is the 2nd most senior Nigerian in the UN system overseeing 46 African countries.