The African Union, AU has appointed Nigeria’s former Foreign Minister and top diplomat, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, to drive the African Union’s ongoing institutional reform,
Professor Gambari was given the appointment at the inaugural meetings of the AU High-Level Panel of Eminent Experts in Nairobi, Kenya.
The five-member panel, mandated by the 38th AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in February 2025, is charged with reviewing the Union’s Governance, Peace, and Security frameworks to strengthen its response to persistent and emerging challenges.
Committee Members
The committee members are former South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, from Nigeria ; Amre Moussa, former Foreign Minister of Egypt and Secretary-General of the Arab League; Sam Kutesa, former Ugandan Foreign Minister and President of the UN General Assembly.
Other are , Mahamet Saleh Annadif, former UN Under-Secretary-General, ex-head of UNOWAS, and former Foreign Minister of Chad.
The AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye described AU Champion for Institutional Reforms “very decisive for the Union’s future”.
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Professor Gambari’s leadership role highlights Nigeria’s continued influence within the AU and ECOWAS’ significant contributions to shaping continental peace and development.
Featuring in High-level Talks at UN General Assembly
Following the Nairobi meetings, Gambari is in New York for the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), featuring in a series of high-level engagements.
These include delivering a keynote address at the African Economic Global Convergence Summit , where he received the AEMA Black Prize, as well as chairing a roundtable on Gulf of Guinea peace and security.
Professor Gambari’s career spans decades of international service, including positions as Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, UN Under-Secretary-General, AU-UN Joint Special Representative for Darfur, and Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
http://ibrahimgambari.savannahcenter.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki ibrahim_Gambari
International experts say his dual role at the AU and UNGA reflects both Nigeria’s strategic importance and Africa’s push for greater voice in global governance.
Writeup – Tunde Akanbi
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