Akasoba Zainab Duke-Abiola, mni,
International support is growing for the candidacy of Akasoba Zainab Duke-Abiola, mni, for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, particularly across Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.
Her candidacy has gained visibility through engagements with the African Policy and Research Consortium (APRC), a pan-African policy and research network operating in more than 20 African countries and connecting scholars, policy leaders, research institutions, development practitioners and international partners across Africa and beyond.
Countries publicly associated with the wider support constituency surrounding her candidacy include South Africa, Rwanda, Egypt, Kenya, Barbados and Chile.
The wider APRC network also has engagements across Nigeria, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, South Africa and other African countries, with institutional and professional links extending to the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.
Duke-Abiola brings a multidisciplinary professional background to the position.
She is a British-trained lawyer and jurist, human rights advocate, cybersecurity strategist, migration and border expert and Distinguished Member of the National Institute.
She has worked across areas relevant to some of the complex challenges facing the international community.
Her stated priorities include strengthening peace and preventive diplomacy, advancing sustainable development and the rule of law, protecting human dignity and deepening cooperation between the Global North and Global South.
Supporters of her candidacy say her selection would provide an opportunity to advance African representation in global institutions, strengthen women's leadership at the highest levels of international diplomacy and contribute to a more inclusive and effective multilateral system.
As the process of selecting the next United Nations Secretary-General develops, Duke-Abiola is positioning herself as an African candidate with an increasingly international network of engagement and a platform focused on cooperation, peace and inclusive global leadership.
