Former UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, takes top political party post in Tanzania
Former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Asha-Rose Migiro has been appointed to serve as the Secretary General of the ruling political party in Tanzania.
She takes over the post from Emmanuel Nchimbi who is now a running mate to Samia Suluhu Hassan for the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) presidential slot in the 2025 Tanzania ‘General Elections!’
Asha-Rose nomination for the position is being seen by observers as efforts by Tanzania to try and clean up the ruling party’s badly soiled image internationally.
Born 9 July 1956 in the Southern Tanzanian region of Ruvuma, Asha-Rose previously held various ministerial positions in the country before becoming an international diplomat who served as the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations from 2007 to 2012.
At the UN Asha-Rose had worked under the South Korean politician and diplomat, Ban Ki-moon who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016.
Mrs Migiro was afterwards appointed as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa on 13 July 2012.
Being also a party cadre, Migiro served as a ward member of Chama Cha Mapinduzi from 1994 to 2000, and as a member of a Regional Executive Council from 2000 to 2005.
Asha-Rose was the Minister of Community Development, Gender and Children’s Affairs under President Benjamin William Mkapa, between 2000 and 2006.
Later she became the first female Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on 4 January 2006, when the previous foreign minister, Jakaya Kikwete, who had just been elected president, appointed his new cabinet.
While in the position of foreign minister, Migiro chaired the Council of Ministers’ meetings of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
She coordinated SADC assistance to the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia and Madagascar. She also served as President of the United Nations Security Council during its open debate on peace, security and development in the Great Lakes Region.