ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Ambassador Joe Keshi, a former Chairman, Board of Directors of UBA Plc, has been elected national president of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria.
A career diplomat who spent 35 years in service Ambassador Keshi is a well known international and domestic affairs analyst and commentator.
According to a statement made available to Sundiata Post on Thursday by Ambassador Martine Gereng-Sen, publicity secretary of the association, Ambassador Joe keshi’ election is for a term of two years.
He is a former permanent secretary, Cabinet Secretariat; former permanent secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former national coordinator, Nigeria National Volunteer Service.
Amb Keshi served in seven Nigerian diplomatic missions during his career and headed several departments in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was a member of the international group that drafted the Sierra Leonean Peace Accord that ended the 10-year civil war in that country. He is also well recognised for his role and efforts in initiating Nigeria’s engagement with its Diaspora as the National Coordinator of the Nigerian National Volunteer Service. As Consul-General of Nigeria in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America, he spent tremendous amount of efforts in mobilising the Nigerian Diaspora to be involved in Nigeria’s development process
Keshi is an alumnus of the University of Ibadan (political science), Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (diploma in inter affairs) Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University, the Hage, The Netherland (masters in administration and policy analyses), he is also a fellow of John Kennedy School of Government and Administration, Harvard University, and a fellow of the Harvard Business School.
In his acceptance speech he promised that the association woulf continue to cater for members’ welfare as well as provide sound and balanced advice to the Federal Government on foreign policy issues.
Also elected 1st and 2nd National Vice Presidents respectively, were Ambassador Lai Laseinde and Ambassador Haruna Wando, while Ambassador Ali Ocheni was elected secretary-General
The Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria is a registered non- profit organisation of over 300 former Nigerian diplomats who during their career, served the nation in various capacities both in Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad and at headquarters at directorate levels. Apart from catering for the welfare of its members, the Association continues to show interest in global affairs and development and as occasions demand provided advice to the federal government to help advance Nigeria’s foreign policy.