Funmi Balogun

My newest blog. Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding: Reflections from South Sudan  - African Feminism (AF) #WomenPeacePower #UNSRC1325 africanfeminism.com/womens-meaning…

#UNMISS mourns the loss of our Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Nicholas Haysom, who inspired all those whose lives he touched with his principled leadership, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to peace in #SouthSudan 🇸🇸. tinyurl.com/3zre5n3k

UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres issued a statement on the passing of Nicholas “Fink” Haysom. His legacy "will endure in the peace processes he advanced, the institutions he strengthened & the principles he helped bring to life around the world." un.org/sg/en/content/…

'Equal rights, leadership and opportunities for women and girls are central to achieving the #SDGs in #TimorLeste.' #UNTimorLeste RC @FunmiB joined #IWD2026 celebrations at #UNHouse with Sec. of State for Equality H.E. Elvina Sousa de Carvalho & H.E. Maria “Gorumali” Barreto, President of Commission F of Parliament together with UN agencies and dev partners.

#UNTimorLeste RC @FunmiB met with H.E. José Andrade de Lemos, Amb of #Angola to #TimorLeste, to exchange views on strengthening collaboration between the @UN, Angola @angola_Mirex and CPLP @_CPLP. Discussion highlighted opportunities to advance national development priorities and accelerate progress towards the #SDGs.

#UNTimorLeste RC @FunmiB met Lao Hamutuk at #UNHouse, reaffirming UN support to #CivilSociety & #NGOs on evidence-based budgeting & execution, agri-food systems, MSMEs, human capital & fiscal sustainability. Diversification must link livelihoods, policy reform & institutions. #TimorLeste #SDGs

When emergencies strike, strong coordination saves lives. The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Timor-Leste brought development partners together to strengthen coordination and preparedness to support Government-led responses during Level 3 emergencies—with one clear interface for engagement, from response to recovery. Preparing together before crises happen helps protect communities and leave no one behind. 🇹🇱 #EmergencyPreparedness #HumanitarianCoordination #Partnerships #Resilience #SDGs #UNTimorLeste #LeaveNoonebehind @FunmiB

A Productive dialogue with the president of National Parliament H.E. Fernanda Lay on Parliament’s role in advancing the #SDGs through effective budget alignment and tracking progress that truly leaves no one behind. #LNOB #leavenonebehind #Timorleste #SDG #unitednationstimorleste @FunmiB

Thank you @NorwayUN, @UNPhilippines, @Portugal_UN, @QatarAtUN, @ROK_Mission, @SLOtoUN, @SpainUN, @SwedenUN, @swiss_un, @UNTimorLeste, @UAEMissionToUN, @UKUN_NewYork (3/3)

To all UN staff, everywhere: a heartfelt thank you. To those in the field. To those who have sacrificed. To those too often unseen. As we enter 2026, let us take pride in what we do: to serve humanity and keep hope alive. Let us keep believing in the UN Charter and our work at the United Nations, because you do make a difference in a world of turmoil.

@toluogunlesi Thank you! 1966 is my year of birth and with younger Nigerians a bit disconnected from Nigeria’s history, so glad you are undertaking this interesting project. I will definitely be following very ardently

Introducing The 1966 Archive: I've spent a lot of the last couple of months thinking about the year 1966, and what it means for #Nigeria. A symbolic year in a number of ways: 1. The year our first democratic experiment as a nation ended (the First Republic), succeeded immediately by the first of several military regimes. 2. The Nigerian civil war didn't officially start until 1967, but looking back, 1966 was arguably when the descent began. Had 1966 turned out differently, a Nigeria may have emerged that never saw a civil war. 3. A youth angle: The year that gave us the youngest leaders ever to lead Nigeria. Probably the year in which Nigeria's modern history was most influenced by young people. We even got a Head of State so young he was unmarried and child-free. 4. The year Dodan Barracks became Nigeria's seat of power. It would remain so for the next quarter of a century, making it Nigeria's second-longest-serving presidential residence, after Aso Rock. I have a personal fascination with Dodan Barracks, which has intensified since I saw it up close in January 2023: x.com/toluogunlesi/s… 6. A year of military decrees, and extensive bans (on political, tribal and cultural organisations), and intense debate about what kind of governance structure the country should adopt—the year of the first Constitutional Conference since Independence. A year of massive changes of political and governmental titles and nomenclature. 7. It was also a year of much high-level bloodshed -- two Heads of State assassinated in the same year, alongside several politicians and military officers. Not like Nigeria had not seen political violence and turmoil—1964 was a pretty turbulent year, marked by electoral violence—but the violence of 1966 was unprecedented. Of course it would then go on to be ecplised by the violence of the following three years. But no one knew this in 1966. 8. Interestingly, on the economic front, as democracy was vanishing, the macro-economy seemed to be picking up. Q1 1966 was an outlier Q1 for external trade since Independence in 1960, delivering a record trade surplus. In fact, the preceding two Q1s, 1965 and 1964, delivered trade deficits. 9. One of the major reasons for this surplus was that Nigeria's first oil refinery, in Port Harcourt (wholly private at the time, owned and run by a Shell-BP consortium), had opened at the end of 1965, and so Q1 1966 saw a 75% decline in the import of petroleum products. 10. It was also a peak year for Nigerian oil production (soared above 500,000 barrels per day), before the war sent output tumbling. In 1966, the number of companies that had made commercial discoveries of oil in Nigeria jumped from 2 to 7. That's how big a deal the year was, for oil. You can indeed say 1966 was the year Nigeria's 'oil-rich' status truly began. Why all the story? I find 1966 fascinating enough to focus on as a history project, as we mark its 60th anniversary this year, 2026. So many threads, so many questions, so many lessons. What should you expect? Stories, dates, interviews, a podcast, videos, essays, in-person events, maybe even a pop-up museum, and a commemorative book. Plenty ideas (because ideas are cheap), let's see which ones come to fruition. It will go live at: the1966archive.ng (link not active yet, but watch this space). Logo below done with the help of Gemini. What does it symbolise for you?

@Finallyismail @Mochievous Yes it is

@FunmiB @Mochievous Is it visa on arrival?

2026 Travel List. Well, I would likely not do all of these but are the places I am prioritizing (some are repeat countries for me) 1. Latin America Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Mexico 2. East & Southeast Asia China, Thailand, *Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Timor-Leste and Brunei 3. Middle East Levant & Gulf Oman, Lebanon, ****, *****, Jordan 4. Southern and Central Europe Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria 5. Central & Southern Africa Zambia, Zimbabwe, São Tomé & Príncipe, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea **Bonus: Antarctica *: Getting an indonesia visa from Nigeria now involves you peeing in a cup at NDLEA office. The chances i would do that is zero **: Antarctica has to be a sponsored trip please. E too cost ****: redacted to avoid unwarranted comments *****: same as above

@Mochievous Yes I am😏 Best is through Bali but because of visa issues for Nigerians, the alternative is through Singapore

@FunmiB omg you are there? I really wanted to go last year but this year for sure. What’s the best way to connect it?

Inna lilahi wa inna illahi raji’un. Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, former UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of @UNESCAP. She was a dear friend, colleague and exceptional leader. Her unwavering commitment to sustainable development and regional cooperation left an indelible mark on the UN and the people she served. My heartfelt condolences to her family. May her soul rest in peace.

Season’s Greetings from #UNTimorLeste 🎄 UN Country Team sends warm wishes for a #MerryChristmas to everyone celebrating 🎁✨ & a peaceful, joyful New Year 🌟🎆with heartfelt thanks for your cont. partnership & collaboration 🤝🕊️🌍 May 2026 bring hope, unity & renewed purpose 💙

Season’s greetings from #UNTimorLeste 🎄✨ RC @FunmiB & UN Country Team 🇺🇳🇹🇱 wish a Merry Christmas to all who are celebrating 🎁 & a peaceful, joyful New Year 🌟🕊️. Thank you for partnership & collaboration 🤝. We look forward to continuing our shared work in the year ahead 🌍

RC @FunmiB & @ilo team 🇹🇱 visited #Baucau Municipality, engaging with local authorities, communities, civil society & women’s groups. Municipality visits ground UN support in local realities, strengthen partnership with Govt, & turn national priorities into action on the ground.

(8 of 8) The RC @FunmiB reminded us that the UN stands for hope. Hope in peace, dignity and equal opportunity. As #TimorLeste steps into a new chapter, the UN remains a committed and trusted partner. #UN80 #UNDay2025 #TimorLeste

There is nothing wrong with the PRINCIPLE of Federal Character. You cannot run a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria without paying attention to diversity and representation. What we should advocate for is that the PRACTICE of Federal Character should be done with patriotism, transparency and predictability. Under-representation of any ethnic group or state in public life should not mean “slots” for a few politicians to now flood federal positions with their family members, friends or people who may have bought the positions. Properly applied, there is nothing wrong with the Federal Character principle. Indeed, it is absolutely essential in any diverse society. Also, it is not antithetical to merit. You can still apply merit within representation and diversity. If State ABC is not adequately represented, you can find the best people from State ABC through competition and merit tests. Every single state or ethnic group in Nigeria has qualified people that can hold government positions. We just need to ensure that they can emerge. I am Ezemmuo. I know things.

A vibrant ASEAN-UN dialogue in Dili 🇺🇳🤝🌏  RC @FunmiB & ASEAN Ambassadors reaffirmed strong support for #TimorLeste as it advances in its ASEAN journey. UNCT shared how the new UNSDCF 2026-30 aligns with @ASEAN priorities, opening space for deeper collaboration & real impact ✨