SEVERAL African heads of state and delegations have made their way to New York in the United States America, where they will attend the 73rd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
About 130 world leaders are gathering for the annual high-level debate to address pressing global issues, from scrapping North Korea’s nuclear weapons to financing development.
Some of the highlights for the continent of Africa will be heads of state addressing the United Nations for the first time including South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.
Other heads of state who are expected to attend their first UNGA are Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed, Liberia’s George Weah, Sierra Leone’s Julius Maada Bio and Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa.
This year’s UNGA is also expected to honour two of Africa’s most illustrious sons, Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s anti-apartheid icon and Koffi Annan, a former UN secretary general who passed on last month.
Several presidents who arrived in New York ahead of UNGA that kicks off today have been meeting several delegations including business leaders, members of the diaspora as they pursue their own country’s development agendas.