Paul Akiwumi

Mr. Akiwumi, a national of Ghana, joined UNCTAD in February 2017.

Before being appointed as Director of ALDC, he served as Director of the Economic, Social and Development Affairs Unit in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN). He and his team were responsible for advising the UN Secretary-General on the development pillar and supporting the activities of the UN's development-related departments, funds and programmes, fostering policy integration and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Istanbul Programme of Action, the Technology Bank for LDCs and the New Urban Agenda.

Prior to this role, Mr. Akiwumi held the position of Chief of Staff in the Office of the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, where he played a critical role in strengthening the development pillar in the Office of the Secretary General.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Akiwumi served with the United Nations Environment Programme, where he held the position of Chief of Staff, developing institutional policy, managing the action plans and conventions related to SIDS, Eastern and Western Africa, as well as the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. He also worked for the Food and Agriculture Organization, working on rural development projects, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa’s natural resources division.

Mr. Akiwumi has also served as Senior Advisor to the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Chief Executive Officer and Secretary to the GEF Council in Washington D.C.

Mr. Akiwumi holds a Master's Degree from the University of Southampton, United Kingdom. He is married and has two children.