By Olawunmi Ashafa

The African Union (AU) has nominated Malam Mohammed Kabir, immediate past Registrar of the Surveyors Council of Nigeria, as Ambassador to promote the AU Agenda 2063.

The nomination was conveyed in a letter signed by Amb. Amara Thecla Orakwe, Chairperson, Nomination and Screening Committee of the AU.

“This nomination acknowledges and celebrates your exceptional leadership qualities, diplomatic acumen, and unwavering commitment to advancing the goals set forth to achieve the AU Agenda 2063.

“The AU Agenda 2063 Ambassadorial Assembly holds a position of profound significance as a diplomatic platform where individuals of substantial influence and impact are carefully selected, endorsed, and entrusted with the duty of representing Africa on a global scale,” the letter said.

It explained that as appointed representative of Agenda 2063, Ambassadors are tasked with advocating for policies and initiatives that propel the Agenda’s overarching objectives, both within the African Continent and on the international arena.

Through their collective expertise and astuteness, they contribute towards crafting strategies and frameworks that address the continent’s most pressing challenges while harnessing its abundant opportunities.

“In your role as Ambassador, you will assume a pivotal position in fostering cross-border collaboration, driving economic growth, and championing the interests of the African continent on the world stage.

“Your wealth of experience and specialised knowledge will, undoubtedly, prove instrumental in propelling progress towards realising the visionary ideals encapsulated within the AU Agenda 2063 Framework,” the letter further said.

Introduced in 2013, Agenda 2063 stands as Africa’s blueprint for economic and human development, encompassing seven Aspirations that collectively embody “The Africa We Want.”

Positioned prominently at the second aspiration is the vision of “An integrated continent, politically united and founded upon the principles of Pan Africanism and Africa’s Renaissance”.

That sentiment, the letter said, “resonates deeply with the convictions of Africa’s founding fathers in 1963 and remains as pertinent today as ever”.

It said that realising the transformative potential of Agenda 2063 necessitated the active engagement of all stakeholders across the continent.

“To actualise the AU’s vision of ‘an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and acting as a dynamic force in the global arena,’ concerted action is imperative on various fronts.

“In the light of the aforementioned, and as part of our ongoing endeavours to advance the AU Agenda 2063 within Africa, it is with immense pleasure that we acknowledge your fulfillment of the rigorous criteria established by the Assembly to receive the esteemed title of Ambassador from the aforementioned organisation.

“This nomination serves as a testament to your remarkable contributions and achievements, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations on this meritorious recognition.

We anticipate collaborating closely with you to realise our shared objectives and pave the way for a prosperous and harmonious future guided by the tenets of the AU Agenda 2063,” the letter added.

It urged him to expedite the essential logistics and administrative preparations for the conferment and investiture of the honour that would induct him into the Ambassadorial Assembly team.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that Kabir, a former Surveyor-General of Katsina State, is currently the Chairperson of International Federation of Surveyors-Africa Regional Network.

He is also Co-Chairman, African Land Surveyors Forum and the African representative in China-Africa Geospatial Information Cooperation with Headquarters in Deqing, China.

The nominee is a registered surveyor, a fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, a fellow of the Chartered Institute for Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria, and member of the Institute of Directors.

Kabir was also chairman of Forum of States Surveyors–General of Nigeria and, for more than a decade, had remained an active and renowned professional in the fields of surveying.

He has also been involved in geoinformatics and land administration, and in leadership, policy and inclusive development.

From 2015-2016, Kabir represented the West African subregion in the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Africa Taskforce on Review of Africa Action Plan.

In 2018, he represented Africa at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe/ Technical Chamber of Greece 1st International Interdisciplinary Conference at Athens, Greece.

In 2023, he was among the five persons selected to launch the African Union Land Governance Strategy, at the African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In 2024, he presented the African SDG Vision during the 1st United Nations Global Geospatial Information Knowledge and Innovation Conference, at Deqing Geospatial City, China and among others.

In Nigeria, Kabir remains versatile on issues related to Nigeria’s land policy and reforms.

He served in the National Economic Council (NEC) subcommittee for the review of the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reform (PTCLR) Land Use Act Draft Regulations 2015- 2017.

He is credited with piloting the UN-Habitat-Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) pilot project on development and implementation of fit-for-purpose land administration in Nigeria.

For many years he has been making significant contributions in the National Council on Land, Housing and Urban Development and other national land conferences across the country.

In 2024, he was the convener of the 1ST African Women Land Professional Associations Conference at Dar -es- Salaam, Tanzania

Also, in 2023, he convened the first High-level Forum Meeting of Presidents of land professional associations in Africa at the AU Commission Headquarters, Addis Ababa.

NAN further reports that Kabir was a resource person at the 2019 World Bank Land and Poverty Conference Masterclass on Fit-for- Purpose Cadastre, World Bank Headquarters, Washington DC.

The nominee was also a panellist at the 1st United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress, Africa side event, Deqing, China in 2018.

Kabir attended the Senior Executive Course 44 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru where he obtained the membership of the national institute, mni. (NAN)

Edited by Folasade Adeniran