When I began my professional journey in West Africa, I was drawn to questions that have remained central to my work ever since: Why do some societies experience peace and stability while others face cycles of conflict? How do young people shape the future of their countries? And, perhaps most importantly, how can institutions better respond to the aspirations of the people they serve?
Over the past eight years, these questions have taken me across different countries, institutions and professional settings. From Guinea, Mali, Ghana, Liberia, Senegal, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire to Europe and North America, I have had the opportunity to learn from very different political, social and institutional contexts. Yet, across these contexts, I have repeatedly encountered something striking: despite differences in circumstances, young people share many of the same aspirations. They want opportunities to build meaningful lives, to participate in decisions that affect them, and to live in peaceful and stable societies.
My academic and professional work has allowed me to explore these questions from different perspectives. At the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), where I worked as a doctoral researcher, I examined issues including demographic transitions, youth bulges, gender issues, conflict dynamics, governance and development in sub-Saharan Africa. My work with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), as well as research experiences at Harvard University and Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, further strengthened my interest in translating evidence and research into policy and practice.
My journey to UNOAU therefore feels like a natural continuation of this path. Joining the United Nations Office to the African Union in Addis Ababa brings me closer to a space where many of the questions that have shaped my work are addressed through multilateral cooperation. As a Junior Professional Officer in Programme Management, I am beginning to learn how ideas, evidence and policy priorities are translated into programmes and partnerships within the AU-UN relationship.
Although I have only recently joined UNOAU, my first weeks in Addis Ababa have already reminded me why working across contexts matters. The African Union and the United Nations bring together countries with different histories, priorities and perspectives, yet their cooperation is grounded in shared aspirations for peace, security, sustainable development and a better future for Africa.
As a young professional, I see the JPO experience as an opportunity not only to contribute, but also to listen and learn. It is a chance to bring perspectives shaped by different African and international experiences while learning from colleagues who bring decades of institutional knowledge. I am particularly excited by the possibility of connecting my background in research and policy with the practical work of supporting partnerships and programmes.
The theme “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations” resonates with me because my own journey has been shaped by both difference and continuity. Contexts matter: they shape opportunities, institutions and the challenges people face. But across borders, generations and professional settings, our aspirations are often remarkably similar.
For me, working at UNOAU is an opportunity to help turn those shared aspirations into collective action and to continue learning from the people and institutions working to build a more peaceful, prosperous and inclusive Africa.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the United Nations Office to the African Union.
