A Nigerian has been appointed by the President of United states, Barack Obama as deputy national security adviser for international economic affairs.
The Nigerian, Adewale “Wally” Adeyemo, who has served in top roles at the Treasury Department, is set to succeed Caroline Atkinson.
Atkinson has served in her current post since June 2013, a position that includes coordinating U.S. participation in the annual summits of the Group of 20 and Group of Seven countries.
Adeyemo, 34, joined the White House’s National Economic Council as deputy director this fall from the Treasury, where he served most recently as the deputy chief of staff to Secretary Jacob Lew.
He was the Treasury’s lead negotiator on the currency agreement that was part of the Pacific trade deal.
Adeyemo also worked on Treasury’s response to crises in Ukraine and Greece and in 2010 was one of the first officials charged with standing up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
In a statement, Obama said he was grateful that Adeyemo would carry on the work Atkinson.
Adeyemo had been nominated by Obama to serve as assistant Treasury secretary for international markets and development, but a White House official said Adeyemo had asked the US President to withdraw the nomination given his new role.
