United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday delegated his adviser for Africa affairs Ambassador Maged Abdel Fattah to attend the celebrations marking the New Suez Canal inauguration.

The new canal will be inaugurated on Thursday with world leaders and dignitaries attending.

Ban has appointed Abdel Fattah as his adviser for Africa affairs after completing his term in office as the Egyptian chief delegate to the UN in New York.

The post crowns 33 years of experience in several diplomatic missions at the African and world level.