Gambari heads to UNGA after leading AU reform talks in Nairobi
Nigeria’s distinguished diplomat and scholar, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, is set for a series of high-profile engagements at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, further solidifying Nigeria’s central role in shaping continental and global affairs.
This follows his participation in a strategic meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, where the African Union’s five-member High-Level Panel of Eminent Experts of which Prof. Gambari is a key member launched a comprehensive review of the AU’s Governance, Peace, and Security frameworks.
The panel is chaired by former South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and includes Gambari; Amre Moussa, former Egyptian Foreign Minister and ex-Secretary-General of the League of Arab States; Sam Kutesa, former Ugandan Foreign Minister and past UNGA President; and Mahamet Saleh Annadif, former UN Under-Secretary-General and ex-Foreign Minister of Chad.
The AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye, also joined the Nairobi consultations.
Convened from September 1–5 under the auspices of AU Reform Champion President William Ruto of Kenya, the meeting stems from a mandate issued at the 38th AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in February 2025.
The panel’s mission is to strengthen the AU’s capacity to address emerging threats, ensure institutional coherence, and advance the peace and security goals of Agenda 2063.
Professor Gambari’s prominent role in this reform process highlights Nigeria’s sustained influence within Africa and ECOWAS’ enduring contributions to peace and development on the continent.
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.
