Asha-Rose Migiro served as the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations between 2007 and 2012, becoming a central figure in international development and diplomacy. Born in Songea, Tanzania, in 1956, her career spans decades of public service, including senior ministerial roles within her home country and representative positions on the global stage.
Academic Foundation and Legal Expertise
Migiro began her formal education at Mnazi Mmoja Primary School in 1963, later attending Korogwe Primary School and Weruweru Secondary School, where she graduated in 1975. She pursued advanced legal studies at the University of Dar es Salaam, earning LL.B and LL.M degrees. She later completed her PhD at the University of Konstanz in Germany in 1992. Before transitioning into high-level politics, she served as a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law at the University of Dar es Salaam. During this period, she directed the Department of Constitutional and Administrative Law from 1992 to 1994, followed by the Department of Civil and Criminal Law until 1997.
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Migiro entered the political sphere as a ward member of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party, serving from 1994 to 2000, and later on the Regional Executive Council until 2005. From 2000 to 2006, she functioned as the Minister of Community Development, Gender and Children's Affairs. In January 2006, President Jakaya Kikwete appointed her as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, making her the first woman to hold the post in Tanzania's history. Her tenure included coordinating Southern African Development Community support for elections in Zambia, Madagascar, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
United Nations and International Service
On 5 January 2007, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon named Migiro as his Deputy Secretary-General, a position she assumed on 1 February 2007. Her mandate involved managing socio-economic development affairs and engaging in international advocacy. She participated in the Commission on Effective Development Cooperation with Africa in 2008 and addressed issues concerning violence against women during high-level meetings in Rome. Following her tenure at the United Nations, which ended in 2012, she was appointed as the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Return to National Governance
Migiro returned to the Tanzanian cabinet under President Jakaya Kikwete after concluding her UN duties. She sought the presidential nomination for the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party ahead of the 2015 elections but was ultimately unsuccessful. In 2014, she served as the Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs. In May 2016, she was appointed as the High Commissioner of Tanzania to the United Kingdom, further continuing her career as a diplomat.
Fast facts
- Born: 1956, Songea, Tanzania
- Education: University of Dar es Salaam and University of Konstanz
- UN Deputy Secretary-General: 2007-2012
- Minister of Foreign Affairs (Tanzania): 2006-2007
- Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs: 2014-2015
- High Commissioner of Tanzania to the United Kingdom: 2016
- Languages: English and Swahili
- Fellow of the Tanzania Academy of Sciences
Questions readers ask
What major roles did Asha-Rose Migiro hold at the United Nations?
She served as the Deputy Secretary-General from 2007 to 2012 and was later appointed as the Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Was she involved in academic research before her political career?
Yes, she was a senior lecturer in law at the University of Dar es Salaam and headed departments focusing on civil, criminal, and constitutional law.
Achievements
- Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (2007–2012)
- Member of the National Assembly of Tanzania
- Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006–2007)
- Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs (2014–2015)
- Educated at University of Dar es Salaam and University of Konstanz
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