Minister Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi Appointed to UNITAR Board of Trustees
22 January 2016, Abuja, Nigeria – The Secretary-General of the United Nations has appointed the Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as a member of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018.
The UNITAR Board of Trustees is the governing body of UNITAR, and as such formulates the policies that govern the activities of the Institute and oversee its functions. As stated in the UNITAR charter adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1963, the Board is composed of Trustees appointed for three-year terms by the United Nations Secretary-General, in consultation with the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Economic and Social Council.
By means of his appointment, Minister Amaechi is in a position to contribute valuable insight and guidance to the growth and development of UNITAR’s capacity-building activities in Nigeria and throughout the globe. Mr. Alex Mejia, Senior Manager at UNITAR’s headquarters in Geneva, traveled to Abuja to present the Minister with the appointment letter on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. He also presented a congratulatory letter from UNITAR’s Executive Director, Assistant Secretary-General Nikhil Seth. The Minister expressed his renewed commitment to UNITAR and its training objectives, especially in regards to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
UNITAR is currently implementing several projects in Nigeria through its office in Port Harcourt, led by Dr. Larry Boms. The projects include a unique youth employability project which trains young Nigerians as Petroleum Engineers in Norway. Mr. Amaechi has been supporting UNITAR for several years, especially during the time he served in his previous capacity as Governor of Nigeria’s Rivers State. The Institute is grateful for his service and welcomes him again in this new capacity as a Trustee.
Photo: Minister Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi receives the letter appointing him to the UNITAR Board of Trustees. He is joined in the photo by Dr. Larry Boms and Mr. Alex Mejia.