African Union (AU) has appointed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard M. Doro, to represent West Africa on the Governing Board of the African Humanitarian Agency (AfHA).

AfHA is a newly established continental institution by the AU for humanitarian coordination and response.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Minister’s Senior Technical Adviser on Information Systems and Data Analysis, Dr Abimbola Fasanu.

The nomination, endorsed by the West African regional caucus under the coordination of Senegal in its capacity as Regional Dean and formally communicated by the African Union Commission, is for a three-year non-renewable term.

Doro will serve on the Governing Board alongside H.E. Léon Kacou Adom, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, who was also nominated to represent the region.

The African Humanitarian Agency (AfHA) was established by the African Union to strengthen Africa’s collective capacity to prevent, prepare for, and respond to humanitarian crises through coordinated, African-led solutions.

The Governing Board will provide strategic oversight for the Agency’s institutional development, regional coordination, policy direction, and humanitarian response across the continent, including the establishment of Regional Humanitarian Centres.

The appointment reflects growing continental recognition of Nigeria’s leadership in humanitarian affairs, social protection, and poverty reduction. It also provides an important platform for Nigeria to contribute its experience in advancing coordinated humanitarian systems and sustainable development solutions across Africa.