The UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Gilles Fagninou, has successfully concluded a working visit to Sierra Leone, which took place from 12 to 15 August 2024. The visit was a crucial step in strengthening partnerships and promoting UNICEF’s priorities and programmes in support of children’s rights.
During his visit, Mr. Fagninou engaged with high-level officials and key partners, including government Ministers, to discuss their collaboration with UNICEF and strategies for advancing children’s rights.
A significant highlight of the visit was the launch of the Report on the Situation of Children and Adolescents (SITAN) in Sierra Leone, which provides essential insights into the challenges faced by children and young people. Mr. Fagninou also visited UNICEF-supported initiatives in Health and Child Protection to gain firsthand insights into programme efforts and interacted with young UNICEF Advocates to hear their perspectives and aspirations for their generation and the next.
“The commitment and resilience of the people of Sierra Leone is truly inspiring. The efforts of the Government and its partners are making a tangible difference to the lives of children and their families, from improving education and healthcare to strengthening child protection and social inclusion.” said the UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Gilles Fagninou in his remarks delivered at a special reception to conclude his inaugural visit to Sierra Leone.
“But we also recognize the challenges that remain. The road to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals is a demanding one and will require our collective efforts and commitment. We must continue to work together, leveraging our strengths and resources to overcome the barriers to the realisation of children’s rights.” he said.
Mr. Rudolf Schwenk, UNICEF Representative in Sierra Leone, commented, “Mr. Fagninou’s visit was a significant moment for UNICEF Sierra Leone, the very fruitful dialogue with key stakeholders has reinforced our commitment to addressing the needs of children across the country. We are very optimistic that we can leverage the insights from his visit to further improve our work for children across the country.”
Mr Fagninou leads 24 UNICEF country offices across West and Central Africa, serving nearly 270 million children, in his role as Regional Director. He is a national of Benin and has a wealth of experience working with UNICEF, for more than 25 years.
Before taking up his current position in February 2024, Mr. Fagninou held senior positions including, the UNICEF Executive Board, Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa; Deputy Representative in Mongolia; and Chief, Social Policy Analysis, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in Afghanistan and Burundi. Before joining UNICEF, he worked in academia as a researcher on macroeconomics in developing countries. Mr Fagninou studied Mathematics in college and is an Ingenium Statistician Economist.
