United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG), Antonio Guterres, has scheduled a two-day visit to Nigeria beginning from Tuesday, May 3, 2022.

The visit is part of the Secretary-General’s annual Ramadan solidarity trips.

During the visit, Guterres will highlight the impact of the Ukraine war on the African continent.

U.N deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq, said Guterres will arrive in Senegal on Saturday evening, travel to Niger on Monday and to Nigeria on Tuesday and then return to New York.

Guterres will share an Iftar dinner (the meal breaking the Ramadan fast) with President Macky Sall of Senegal, who assumed the presidency of the African Union earlier this year, Haq said.

He will also take part in celebrations of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, marking the end of Ramadan with Niger’s President, Mohamed Bazoum, Haq said. Adding that he is also scheduled to meet Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari.

The Director, UN Information Centre (UNIC), Ronald Kayanja, in a statement issued through the Centre’s National Information Officer, Oluseyi Soremekun, said the visit will be the first mission of the ninth UNSG to Nigeria.

During the mission, Guterres will have an audience with President Buhari; the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo; religious leaders; women and youth leaders; the private sector and the diplomatic community.

The visit is part of the Secretary-General’s annual Ramadan solidarity visits, and Guterres will also visit Niger and Senegal, during which he will highlight the impact of the Ukraine war on the African continent.

“The Secretary-General will visit the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, in Maiduguri, north-east Nigeria on Tuesday, 3 May and thereafter proceed on a field mission to meet families deeply affected by violence and instability in north-east Nigeria, including people internally displaced and refugees. Mr Guterres will also see first-hand the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities and will assess progress and challenges to the COVID-19 recovery.

“Secretary-General will have meetings with senior government officials as well as civil society representatives, including women, youth groups and religious leaders”, Soremekun said.

During the visit, Guterres will be accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Ms Vera Songwe; the Special Coordinator for Development in the Sahel, Mr Abdoulaye Mar Dieye; the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, UNOWAS, Annadif Khatir Mahamat Saleh.