United States Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has arrived Nigeria on a two-day official visit and is currently in Borno State, the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency for more than a decade.
This is the first visit by the U.N. secretary-general to Nigeria since his appointment. The visit is part of his annual Ramadan solidarity visits to nations, according to the United Nations information centre in Nigeria.
Guterres is focusing on countries affected by terrorism and also highlighting the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the African continent, the information centre noted.
The UN chief is expected to meet with the Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum in Maiduguri, the state capital before embarking on a field mission where he will meet families affected by the Boko Haram conflict.
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The centre also stated that the Secretary-General will evaluate the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities and assess progress made as well as the challenges to the COVID-19 recovery.
Guterres will then head to Nigeria’s capital to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osibanjo and other top cabinet officials, the centre added.
In Abuja, Guterres is also expected to officiate a wreath-laying ceremony for victims of the 2011 bombing at the U.N. house and will then meet with young people’s delegates, women, religious leaders and diplomatic communities and journalists.
Before arriving in Nigeria, Guterres already visited Senegal and Niger.
