By Newsmata
Former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is set to jet off to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for a power-packed diplomatic engagement, where he will headline two major global events convened by the Ethiopian Government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Jonathan will first take centre stage at a high-level policy dialogue on climate-resilient irrigation and Africa’s food sovereignty, organised by the Ethiopian Government on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.
The gathering, featuring top-tier African leaders and experts, will dissect strategies to shield the continent’s agriculture from climate shocks and bolster food security.
Two days later, on February 14, he will deliver a keynote speech at the highly anticipated launch of the UN report, Advancing Inclusive Development: Policy Options for Burkina Faso, Guinea, Gabon, Mali, and Niger.
This groundbreaking report, a collaborative effort by UNDP, the African Union Commission (AUC), and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), is designed to drive sustainable transitions in politically complex nations.
The UNDP, in its invitation to Jonathan, acknowledged his influential voice in governance and peacebuilding, stating that his support would be instrumental in shaping policies and fast-tracking the implementation of the report’s recommendations.
This initiative falls under the Africa Facility to Support Inclusive Transitions (AFSIT), a flagship programme through which the UNDP and the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation are working to foster democratic stability, peace, and leadership development across West and Central Africa.
AFSIT emerged as a response to the call by African leaders at the 16th Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly in May 2022, where Heads of State underscored the urgent need to address terrorism and unconstitutional changes of government.
Jonathan’s engagement will also see him join a prestigious panel discussion at the international conference on irrigation and climate-resilient food production, hosted by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands.
Sharing the stage with distinguished former African leaders—including Ethiopia’s ex-Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Tanzania’s former President Dr. Jakaya Kikwete, and Senegal’s ex-President Macky Sall—he will contribute to shaping Africa’s agricultural resilience agenda.
As Africa faces growing climate challenges, this dialogue will bring together key decision-makers to strategise on scaling up climate-smart irrigation systems to sustain the continent’s food production.
Both events are set to unfold against the backdrop of the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State of the African Union, reinforcing Jonathan’s pivotal role in Africa’s governance and development discourse.
Curled from P.M. NEWS