UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will undertake a "Ramadan solidarity travel" to Senegal, Niger, and Nigeria on Saturday, his Deputy spokeswoman said.
President Macky Sall of Senegal, who assumed the African Union president earlier this year, will meet Guterres and enjoy an Iftar dinner with him. He will also join President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger in Eid celebrations, and he will meet Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. On Friday, deputy spokesman Farhan Haq added.
Monday is Eid al-Fitr, a religious holiday commemorating the conclusion of Ramadan, which is observed by Muslims all over the world.
The Secretary-General will meet with senior government officials as well as civil society representatives, including women, youth groups, and religious leaders, in each of the three nations. According to Haq, he will visit with families that have been badly affected by the Sahel's violence and instability, including internally displaced individuals and refugees. The UN head will also witness firsthand the effects of climate change on vulnerable communities, as well as monitor progress and obstacles in the Covid-19 recovery, he said.
When Guterres was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, he began making yearly Ramadan solidarity visits. He's continuing a tradition that had been halted by Covid-19.
Following his visits to Moscow and Kiev to promote peace in Ukraine, he will travel to Africa. In Moscow, the UN Secretary-General met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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