Using its unique potential as a world center for international cooperation, the UN system plays an important role in coordinating all types of assistance to African countries so that they can act independently. In particular, the UN assists in the development of democratic institutions, in the establishment of peace between the warring countries and in the field of ensuring and protecting human rights. The United Nations in the field is promoting economic and social development.
As part of this effort, the UN is working closely with African regional cooperation centers. There are currently seven peacekeeping operations in Africa. UN peacekeepers serve in the Central African Republic, in two regions of Sudan, including Darfur (with the African Union) and Abye, in South Sudan, Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Western Sahara.
In order to expand assistance to African countries, in 2003 the UN established the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, which is responsible for increasing the volume of international assistance in ensuring the development and strengthening the security of the countries of the continent, as well as for improving coordination of assistance through the UN system. The Office also facilitates international thematic discussions, primarily on issues related to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, a strategic framework adopted by African leaders in 2001. In 2019, the mandate of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development was changed. The partnership was the first African Union development agency.
Find below the list of UN offices and UN agencies that work in Africa. You may easy follow its websites and monitor all their activities and job opportunities.
World Food Programme (WFP)
The World Food Programme (WFP) works in: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
World Health Organization (WHO)
WHO has country offices in Africa.
Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
UNAIDS works in East and Southern Africa and West and Central Africa. It has a representative to the African Union and Economic Commission for Africa.
International Labour Organization (ILO)
The ILO gives support to the Africa Region through its Decent Work Country Teams and Country Offices.
UN Women
UN Women has regional and country offices in Africa.
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
UNIDO has regional offices in Africa.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
UNESCO has offices in Africa.
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
OHCHR has offices in Africa, including four regional office/centres.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
OCHA, part of the UN Secretariat, has regional and country offices in Africa.
UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
UNODC has regional offices for Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, and West and Central Africa and Middle East and North Africa.
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
The UNOPS Africa Regional Office is located in Copenhagen, Denmark along with its headquarters. There are country offices in Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Tunisia.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
FAO has a regional office for Africa in Accra, Ghana, and subregional offices and country offices in Africa.
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
IFAD has offices in Africa.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
The IAEA works in Africa through its Division for Africa.
World Bank
The World Bank has country offices in Africa.
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
The IMF has Resident Representative offices in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
ICAO has offices for Eastern and Southern Africa and Western and Central Africa.
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
The IMO has regional presence offices located in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Accra (Ghana) and Nairobi (Kenya).
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
The ITU Regional Office for Africa provides assistance to the Member States of the Region
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
The WIPO Regional Bureau for Africa is responsible for the coordination and development of technical assistance to Africa.
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)
UN-Habitat, the United Nations programme for human settlements is working with African governments to take early action to position themselves for predominantly urban populations.