Category: Leadership & Diplomacy

Esther Agbarakwe, Aminu Waziri Mohammed and Usman Muhammad have been honoured with Crans Montana Forum of New Leaders of Tomorrow award [2017] for their outstanding professional achievement.

The Forum, which is domiciled in Switzerland consists of a unique community of young leaders from Africa, the Arab World, far Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South-America and far East that were selected for their exceptional professional achievement and leadership experience in businesses and governments.

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Yuonov Frederick Agah has been reappointed as Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for another four-year term; resuming his second term at the WTO headquarters in Geneva on October 1 till September 30, 2021. Mr. Agah was first appointed as Deputy Director-General of WTO in 2013 for a four-year term, which he assumed on October 1 that year.

The 164-member countries’ organisation is the only global international body that deals with the rules of trade between nations to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers to conduct their business.

Mr. Agah was appointed as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the WTO in 2005.

In that capacity, he served as the Alternate Chief Negotiator for the Doha Round and Head of Nigeria’s Trade Office to the WTO in the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations Office in Geneva.

The Trade Office is responsible for Nigeria’s participation in Geneva-based trade-related international organisations,, particularly the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the World Intellectual Property Organisation, the International Trade Centre and the WTO.

The WTO deputy chief served as Chair to WTO’s General Council in 2011.

He was responsible for organising the Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference, which was acknowledged to be successful in spite of prevailing stalemate in the Doha Round.

He also served as Chair of the Dispute Settlement Body in 2010 and the Council for Trade in Services in 2009.

He was also the chair of the Trade Policy Review Body in 2008, the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights in 2007, and the Council for Trade in Goods in 2006.

He chaired the Council for the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights – an international legal agreement between all the member nations of the – Special Session, in 2013.

Mr. Yuonov Frederick Agah had previously worked as a lecturer at Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State from 1979 to 1981 and Senior Features Writer/Circulation Manager, Benue Printing and Publishing Corporation from 1982 to 1984.

Professor Lawrence Folajimi Awosika, has been re-elected as Chairman of the United Nation’s Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) [2017].

Professor Lawrence Folajimi Awosika polled 154 out of 157 votes to emerge Chair of the prestigious 21-person UN scientific body.

Continue reading Lawrence Folajimi Awosika Is Re-Elected UNCLCS Chairman [2017-22]

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) awards Dika Odum, who graduated with an MSc in Energy and Environmental Management in 2015 as the Alumnus of the Year 2017 for the significant career achievements and charitable work he has undertaken since graduating.

Dika Odum is currently Managing Director of Kherithdum Limited, a company based in Nigeria offering management consultancy and cooperate training services in the areas of environmental management, energy efficiency, human resource management, finance, business administration, project management and health and safety.

Dika was involved in organising Anambra state’s participation in 2016, for the first time, in World Environment Day, established by the United Nations in 1972. He also initiated a project to encourage children in Nigeria to get involved in contributing to environmental sustainability at an early age. He spoke to over 1,500 children on climate change, reuse, recycling and the need to go green.

Olusegun Adekunle has been appointed the Alternate Chairman of the 127th Economic Commission Board of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Mr. Olusegun Adekunle was before this appointment Nigeria’s representative to the Organisation.

The Economic Commission Board is responsible for writing reports and making recommendations to the Conference of OPEC Oil Ministers on oil prices and other economic issues. It also assists OPEC in promoting stability in international oil prices at equitable levels.

Nigeria’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the UN, Professor Tijjani Bande emerged as the Acting President to preside over the 81st Plenary Meeting of UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters following the absence of the President of the Assembly, Peter Thomson, who was on an official travel to the Central African Republic.

Professor Bande’s presidency at the Plenary Meeting happened just nine days after he presented his credentials to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Nigeria was appointed one of the 21 Vice Presidents of the General Assembly on June 13, 2016 at the 71st session of the General Assembly.