Charles Abani, UN Resident Coordinator(Ghana), to headline United Nations University’s Annual Kwapong Lecture

The event is co-convened by the UNU’s University’s Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA) and the University of Ghana, Legon. It will be held on Thursday, 27th June 2024 at the Cedi Conference Center, Seminar Room 3, University of Ghana, Legon. The time is 2pm prompt.

This is the sixth lecture in the Nature Speaks event series, commemorating the late Professor Alexander Adum Kwapong, the first Ghanaian Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana and the first African Vice-Rector of the United Nations University. The lecture is part of a series of events that place natural resources at the centre of Africa's sustainable and inclusive development as a key enabler of social transformation and shared prosperity. 

This session will examine creative approaches to resource management that strike a balance between social justice, environmental protection, and economic prosperity. It is anticipated that this will prompt discussions about effective resource management and a call to action in this vital sector. 

This High-Level Lecture Series is intended to provide prominent thought leaders with a forum for fostering independent thought and challenging conventional wisdom and narratives with innovative ideas and solutions.

Our esteemed speaker will address the obstacles and possibilities associated with implementing sustainable policies, showcase prosperous case studies from various parts of the continent, and suggest practical measures to improve stakeholder cooperation.

Previous lecture series featured Professor Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University, Dr. Frannie Leautier, former Vice President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Youba Sokona, former Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and our current board member, Professor Christopher Gordon, University of Ghana.

Profile Of Keynote Speaker

A seasoned international development practitioner, Mr. Charles Abani has spent over 25 years leading inclusive transformation across the public, private and non-profit sectors through senior country, regional and international leadership, and non-profit board roles. Before joining the UN, Mr. Abani has worked across Africa, Asia, and in Europe with development organizations such as VSO, ActionAid International, Oxfam, Absolute Return for Kids, Palladium and Chemonics International. 

Mr. Abani’s work has contributed thought, programmatic and management leadership in multiple sectors to address poverty, accelerate growth and prosperity, strengthen peace, resilience and inclusion, as well as capability across diverse stakeholders, fostering transparent and accountable partnerships and sustainable solutions. 

As UN Resident Coordinator for Ghana, he provides strategic leadership for the entire UN Development System’s work, so as to support the Government and peoples of Ghana as they work towards their ambition to achieve self-reliance, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063. 

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About UNU INRA

The UNU-INRA was established in 1985 in accordance with a draught resolution adopted at the 21st ordinary session of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to demonstrate to African Governments and institutions the central role of science, infrastructure, and innovation in promoting natural resources governance and development in Africa while serving as a preeminent institute delivering science for practice.