Office of the Special Adviser on Africa

Office of the Special Adviser on Africa
Name	Office of the Special Adviser on Africa
Type	United Nations office
Formed	2003
Jurisdiction	United Nations Secretariat
Headquarters	New York City
Parent organization	United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs

Contents

Office of the Special Adviser on Africa The Office of the Special Adviser on Africa was established to promote international cooperation with Africa and to integrate African priorities into United Nations processes. It engages with continental institutions such as the African Union, regional economic communities like the Economic Community of West African States and Southern African Development Community, and member states including Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, and Ethiopia. The Office works alongside agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Children's Fund, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and multilateral donors to advance development, peace, and sustainable growth.

History

The Office was created following discussions at the United Nations General Assembly and initiatives led by actors including the Secretary-General of the United Nations and delegations from Algeria, Senegal, Ghana, Morocco, and Tunisia. Early engagement involved coordination with the New Partnership for Africa's Development and the Millennium Development Goals process, and alignment with frameworks developed at summits such as the Monterrey Consensus and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Over time the Office adapted to post-2015 agendas, linking to the Sustainable Development Goals and the outcomes of forums like the UN Climate Change Conference and United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants. The Office has interacted with Special Envoys such as those on Great Lakes region issues, mediators in the Darfur and South Sudan processes, and institutions born from the Bamako Initiative and Abuja Treaty.

The Office’s mandate derives from resolutions of the United Nations Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly, with aims reflected in documents referencing the Abuja Declaration, the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, and the Almaty Programme of Action. Its core functions include policy advocacy with bodies such as the United Nations Security Council, advisory support to member states like Rwanda and Mozambique, and liaison with intergovernmental organizations such as the African Development Bank and the Economic Commission for Africa. The Office produces analytical reports drawing on data from the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization, and International Labour Organization, and contributes to thematic debates concerning trade under the World Trade Organization, debt relief linked to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, and climate resilience in coordination with the Green Climate Fund.

Structurally, the Office operates within the United Nations Secretariat and collaborates with departments including the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Department of Peace Operations. Leadership has included Special Advisers appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and staff with backgrounds from institutions such as the University of Nairobi, University of Lagos, Makerere University, and policy centers like the Brookings Institution and Chatham House. Regional desks engage with subregional blocs: Economic Community of Central African States, East African Community, and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. The Office convenes expert panels drawing on specialists from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, International Organization for Migration, and financial partners like African Export–Import Bank.

Programmatic work spans thematic initiatives linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, including agriculture projects informed by the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, health collaborations referencing the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and infrastructure dialogues echoing projects by the African Union Development Agency. The Office supports capacity-building through workshops with institutions like the African Capacity Building Foundation, research partnerships with universities such as University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University, and convenings comparable to the Tokyo International Conference on African Development. It has facilitated dialogues on debt sustainability referencing Paris Club precedents and engaged in trade promotion alongside the African Continental Free Trade Area secretariat and negotiations involving the European Union and United States delegations.

The Office relies on partnerships with multilateral banks including the International Finance Corporation and bilateral donors from countries such as China, France, Germany, Japan, and Canada. It coordinates with continental actors like the Pan-African Parliament and with UN entities such as UN Women, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Collaboration extends to civil society networks like Oxfam International and Amnesty International affiliates, private sector consortia including NEPAD Business Foundation, and philanthropic organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Office has contributed to elevating African agendas in forums like the UN General Assembly High-level Week and the Financing for Development Conference, informing donor strategies of the African Development Bank and World Bank Group. Critics argue its influence is constrained by limited resources relative to ambitious mandates and highlight overlaps with entities such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and specialized UN agencies. Commentators from think tanks including the Council on Foreign Relations and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace have debated its effectiveness in addressing structural challenges posed by external debt, trade imbalances linked to European Union–Africa relations, and security dynamics in regions affected by Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, and Lord's Resistance Army. Supporters note successful convenings that aligned financing instruments from the Green Climate Fund and development programs from the African Union.