By Genesis ogiri
Ambassador Kingsley Onuche, President of the Peace Ambassador Advocacy Network, has represented Nigeria at the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, reaffirming the country’s firm commitment to advancing Africa’s sustainable development agenda.
The high-level continental forum convenes policymakers, development partners, and institutional stakeholders from across Africa and beyond, serving as a strategic platform for assessing progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strengthening regional cooperation mechanisms.Ambassador Onuche’s participation underscores Nigeria’s sustained engagement in shaping continental policy frameworks aimed at promoting inclusive growth, economic resilience, and broad-based social development across African states.
During the sessions, he held strategic engagements with global and regional leaders, development institutions, and research stakeholders, including the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), focusing on pathways to accelerate industrialization and deepen economic transformation across the continent.Deliberations at the forum highlighted the urgency of advancing inclusive industrialization, with particular emphasis on youth empowerment and the expansion of opportunities for women in leadership, governance, and productive sectors of the economy.
Ambassador Onuche stressed that Africa’s transformation must go beyond policy dialogue, noting that coordinated action, strategic partnerships, and sustained commitment are critical to achieving measurable and impactful development outcomes.He further emphasized the central role of peace advocacy and inclusive governance in fostering stability, describing them as indispensable foundations for sustainable development and long-term economic growth across Africa.
Participants at the forum observed that Nigeria’s active engagement reflects its growing leadership role in continental development discourse, as well as its commitment to building partnerships that promote innovation, resilience, and shared prosperity.As discussions continue, Nigeria has reiterated its resolve to remain a key contributor to efforts aimed at building a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Africa through consistent policy engagement and multilateral cooperation.