The United Nations appointed Anna Tibaijuka as its first African woman to reach the rank of under-secretary-general in 2002. Born in 1950 in the Muleba District of Tanganyika Territory, she established a professional trajectory spanning agricultural economics, international diplomacy, and domestic governance in Tanzania, navigating high-stakes roles within the United Nations and the Tanzanian national government.
Educational Background and Academic Tenure
Tibaijuka began her studies at the University of Dar es Salaam in 1975. She later obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the Sokoine University of Agriculture and pursued further specialization in agricultural economics at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala. Between 1993 and 1998, she served as an associate professor of economics at the University of Dar es Salaam while simultaneously contributing to government delegations at multiple global summits, including the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and the World Food Summit in Rome.
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In September 2000, Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Tibaijuka as executive director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements. She implemented reforms that prompted the General Assembly to restructure the entity into the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, known as UN-HABITAT. In 2005, she served as the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy regarding Operation Murambatsvina in Zimbabwe, producing a report that criticized the government’s eviction campaign for its disregard for human welfare.
Tanzanian Political Career
Tibaijuka entered formal politics in 2010, winning a seat in the National Assembly of Tanzania for the Muleba South constituency as a representative for the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party. That same year, she became the Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Developments, a position she held until 2014. Her tenure concluded following scrutiny regarding the Tegeta escrow account scandal, where she faced questions concerning a donation of US$1 million received into her personal account. She returned to parliament following the 2015 election.
Fast facts
- Born: 1950, Muleba District
- Citizenship: Tanzania
- Education: Sokoine University of Agriculture, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- UN Role: Under-Secretary-General
- Ministerial Post: Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Developments (2010-2014)
- Awards: WIN WIN Gothenburg Sustainability Award
- Languages: English, Swahili
- Affiliation: Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry
Questions readers ask
What was Tibaijuka's role at the United Nations?
She served as the executive director of UN-HABITAT and held the rank of under-secretary-general.
Which ministry did she lead in Tanzania?
She was the Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Developments from 2010 to 2014.
Achievements
- Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Developments (2010–2014)
- Member of the National Assembly of Tanzania (from 2015)
- Educated at Sokoine University of Agriculture and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
