RismadarVoice Reporters
September 19, 2026
Five Nigerians have received honorary titles as Ambassadors of Goodwill and Ambassadors for Humanitarian Affairs at a high-level side event held on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The investiture ceremony was held on 18 September 2026 at Conference Room 11 of the United Nations Headquarters as part of the 2026 UNGA High-Level Global Executive Roundtable Side Event.
The event was organised by the Global Organisation for Sustainable Development Goals (GOFSDGs), which holds Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), in partnership with the Civil Society Organisations on Community Advancement and Humanitarian Empowerment Initiative (CSCHEI) and in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
A statement by Sophie Romma Murashkovsky, on behalf of the organising committee, listed the honourees and their respective designations.
They are Kunle Yusuff, Director-General of CSCHEI, and David Luftglass, Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance Assets Holdings Corporation, USA, both of whom were named Ambassadors of Goodwill.
Judith Ogbara, Chief Executive Officer of Rosem Energy Ltd and Chairperson of AAE Foundation, Nigeria, was named an Ambassador for Humanitarian Affairs.
Dahiru Biu was also named an Ambassador of Goodwill, while Duke Kelvin Iyke Asogwa received the designation of Ambassador for Humanitarian Affairs.
The ceremony was attended by the Secretary-General of the International Human Rights Commission, the founder of Open Diplomacy International and representatives of UNITAR.
The organising committee said the honorary designations followed what it described as a due diligence process that assessed the nominees’ track records, integrity and contributions to humanitarian development.
It said the selection was aligned with the principles of the UN Charter and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
According to the committee, the honourees were recognised for their leadership in humanitarian initiatives, community development and inclusive social protection.
It said their work also demonstrated contributions towards the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals 1, 3, 8, 13, 16 and 17, covering poverty reduction, health, decent work, climate action, peace and justice, and global partnerships.
The committee also cited the nominees’ ability to build partnerships, mobilise resources and support vulnerable and underserved communities.
It said their activities had contributed to Nigeria’s engagement with the multilateral system and promoted South-South cooperation.
The committee stressed that the honorary designations came with responsibilities, including adherence to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
It also urged the new ambassadors to promote accountability to affected populations, sustainability and the principle of “Leaving No One Behind.”
Participants at the roundtable also adopted three resolutions, according to the organising committee.
One of the resolutions was to operationalise the Global Partnership Network Support System as a platform for improving private-sector access to sustainable, blended and concessional financing for humanitarian and development initiatives.
Participants also resolved to establish a structured follow-up, capacity-building and impact-tracking mechanism involving UNITAR, relevant UN agencies, donor organisations and international non-governmental organisations.
The newly decorated ambassadors were also mandated to serve as focal points for resource mobilisation, high-level advocacy and the localisation of humanitarian interventions in accordance with UN standards and humanitarian principles.
The organising committee congratulated the honourees and urged them to align their future programmes, engagements and partnerships with the mandates and standards of the United Nations, development partners, donor agencies, development finance institutions and international NGOs.
It also called on relevant stakeholders to provide technical and financial support to enable the ambassadors to carry out their new responsibilities.
