Asha Rose Migiro

Asha Rose Migiro
Name	Asha Rose Migiro
Birth date	1956-07-09
Birth place	Songea, Tanzania
Nationality	Tanzanian
Occupation	Lawyer, diplomat, politician
Known for	Former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Tanzania

Asha Rose Migiro is a Tanzanian lawyer, diplomat, and politician who served as United Nations Deputy Secretary-General and held senior ministerial posts in the United Republic of Tanzania. She has worked at the intersection of international law, multilateral diplomacy, and regional governance, engaging with institutions across Africa, the United Nations system, and global development actors. Her career spans academia, national government, and international civil service, linking Tanzanian public administration to global policy frameworks.

Early life and education

Born in Songea, Ruvuma Region, Migiro pursued secondary education in Tanzania before undertaking university studies that combined law and social policy. She attended University of Dar es Salaam where she studied law and completed postgraduate studies, later affiliating with institutions that included University of Warwick for further training and exchanges. During her formative years she was influenced by the post-independence Tanzanian civic environment associated with leaders such as Julius Nyerere and regional developments involving East African Community partners. Her legal and academic grounding positioned her to engage with regional legal instruments like those promulgated by the African Union and Commonwealth legal traditions reflected in bodies such as the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Legal and academic career

Migiro began her professional life in the Tanzanian legal and academic sectors, teaching and researching at the University of Dar es Salaam and contributing to legal scholarship alongside contemporaries from institutions such as Makerere University and University of Nairobi. She worked within frameworks shaped by legal precedents from the International Court of Justice and comparative studies involving legal systems in United Kingdom and India. Her legal practice intersected with judicial and policy institutions including the Tanzania Law Society and national commissions modeled after commissions in countries like South Africa. Her academic work emphasized jurisprudence, human rights, and public administration, drawing on comparative expertise from scholars at Harvard Law School and Yale Law School through collaborative workshops and conferences.

Political career and government service

Migiro entered Tanzanian public service through appointments in the diplomatic corps and the ruling party, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi. She served as Member of Parliament and was appointed to cabinets led by presidents including Benjamin Mkapa and Jakaya Kikwete, holding portfolios that connected Tanzania to multilateral partners like the United Nations Development Programme and bilateral partners such as United States and China. As Minister of Community Development, Gender and Children and later Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation she engaged with regional processes including the Southern African Development Community and treaty discussions involving the East African Community. Her tenure involved negotiations with institutions including the African Development Bank and attendance at summits such as the United Nations General Assembly.

Tenure as Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations

In 2007 Migiro was appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, assuming responsibilities linked to reform initiatives, development agendas, and coordination with UN agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Children's Fund, and World Health Organization. Her role required engagement with Security Council members including United States, France, and United Kingdom as well as with regional groups like the African Union and European Union. She worked on implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and early transitions toward the Sustainable Development Goals, collaborating with specialized agencies including the International Labour Organization and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Her diplomatic activity included missions to conflict-affected countries and participation in high-level dialogues at fora such as the World Economic Forum and climate conferences linked to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Later career and roles

After completing her UN term, Migiro returned to roles that bridged international institutions and Tanzanian public life, engaging with networks such as the African Union Commission and advisory boards connected to the United Nations University and International Crisis Group. She served on corporate and non-profit boards influenced by governance standards from institutions like the World Bank Group and attended multilateral conferences including sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries where Tanzania participates as an observer in some processes. Her subsequent work included mediation, capacity-building, and representation in continental initiatives aligned with agendas promoted by New Partnership for Africa's Development and financial institutions such as the African Export-Import Bank.

Personal life and honors

Migiro is married and has balanced family life with public service, participating in cultural and civic institutions across Tanzania and the region. She has received honors and recognitions from governments and international bodies including awards similar to those conferred at ceremonies hosted by the United Nations and African intergovernmental organizations. Her contributions have been acknowledged in forums where figures such as Kofi Annan, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have been honored, reflecting a career that bridges national leadership and global diplomacy.

Category:Tanzanian politicians Category:Deputy Secretaries-General of the United Nations Category:University of Dar es Salaam alumni Category:1956 births Category:Living people