Damilola Banjo
Damilola Banjo is a staff reporter for PassBlue. She has a master's of science degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a B.A. in communications and language arts from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She has worked as a producer for NPR's WAFE station in Charlotte, N.C.; for the BBC as an investigative journalist; and as a staff investigative reporter for Sahara Reporters Media.
- Damilola Banjo
- • October 5, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
Naturally enough, Gabon is focusing on Africa as the country leads the United Nations Security Council this month. Gabon’s UN ambassador, Michel Xavier Biang, detailed his country’s plans for the rotating presidency, elaborating on a climate change agenda as…
- Categories: Africa, Climate Change, Security Council Presidency, Ukraine-Russia War
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • September 30, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
This week, we are excited about Cuba’s historic moment as it legalizes same-sex marriage and protects other vulnerable groups. You are reading This Week @UN, summarizing the most pressing issues before the organization. The information is gathered from UN…
- Categories: Peace and Security, Secretary-General, This Week @UN, Ukraine-Russia War
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • September 22, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
Many African leaders who spoke at the United Nations General Assembly so far seem to all want the same thing: a permanent seat at the Security Council table. “Africa has waited long enough and will not wait any longer,”…
- Categories: Africa, General Assembly, Security Council, Terrorism
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • September 16, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
This week, we focus on the preparations of the annual United Nations General Assembly opening session with world leaders — “high-level week” — from Sept. 20-26 and other stories around the world. The speakers’ list is constantly revising, though…
- Categories: Africa, General Assembly, Secretary-General, Security Council, This Week @UN, US-UN Relations
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • September 9, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
Welcome back to our weekly summary, after a much-needed break in August, when we still produced amazing scoops, interviews and investigations (see the rundown below). This week, our focus is on the Security Council as France leads the primary…
- Categories: General Assembly, Secretary-General, Security Council, This Week @UN, Ukraine-Russia War
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • September 7, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
Food prices may still be soaring in crisis-prone countries, but Germany is poised to slash its 2023 contribution to global humanitarian and crisis prevention by nearly $400 million. According to data compiled by the United Nations Food and Agriculture…
- Categories: Development, Humanitarian Aid, Refugees, UN Peacekeeping
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • September 5, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
After ending its nine-year military stay in Mali and promising to halve its military presence in West Africa, France said it remained committed to ensuring good governance in the countries affected by continuing instability in the region. Nicolas de…
- Categories: General Assembly, Peace and Security, Security Council Presidency
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • August 23, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
LAGOS — A mere 17 women were appointed or elected to parliaments, ministerial or electoral offices in the West Africa/Sahel region out of 134 available positions from December 2021 to June 2022. While the paltry figures have long raised…
- Categories: Africa, Secretary-General, Women
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • August 4, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
Myanmar’s military junta has extended its state of emergency by six months, a year and a half after it overthrew the democratically elected government in a February 2021 coup. The ruling was announced on Aug. 1, the same day…
- Categories: Asia, Security Council Presidency
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo and Kacie Candela
- • August 3, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
As Security Council president in August, China wants to keep the UN body “cool” — literally and figuratively — by navigating the fine line of staying close to Russia while not souring relations too much with the West; discussing…
- Categories: Peace and Security, Security Council, Security Council Presidency
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • August 1, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
LAGOS, Nigeria — The United Nations verified the abduction of 4,278 children in 21 countries last year in its recent annual report on children and armed conflict, but it failed to acknowledge widespread kidnappings throughout northwest and north-central Nigeria…
- Categories: Africa, Child Soldiers, Gender Violence, Secretary-General, Terrorism
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • July 29, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
This week, we focus on the deadly attacks against the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and assaults in Yemen, leading to deaths of children. You are reading This Week @UN, summarizing the most pressing…
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • July 22, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
This week, we focus on the signing of the UN-Turkish led grain deal as well as the Nelson Mandela memorial event, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a big statement with their appearance and his speech. You…
- Categories: Africa, General Assembly, Peace and Security, Secretary-General, Security Council, This Week @UN
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • July 20, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
Russia’s war on Ukraine is not only increasing the cost of delivering aid to the world’s most vulnerable people, but European donors’ and American interests in the war are also reducing the ability of those countries to fund global…
- Categories: Development, Humanitarian Aid, Migration, Refugees
LEAVE A COMMENT
- Damilola Banjo
- • July 18, 2022
LEAVE A COMMENT
When Kimba Abdou went to a local store a year ago to buy a 100-kilogram bag of millet, a staple grain for Nigeriens, he parted with 20,000 West African francs, known as CFA, or about $31. The last time…
- Categories: Africa, Humanitarian Aid, Peace and Security, Poverty