Biographical Note

Secretary-General Appoints Asha-Rose Migiro of United Republic of Tanzania

 

Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa

 

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Asha-Rose Migiro of the United Republic of Tanzania, former United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, as his Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa.  She will replace Elizabeth Mataka, who the Secretary-General thanked for her outstanding and dedicated service in this role since 2007.

Ms. Migiro brings to this role unique and valuable experience in promoting the AIDS response both globally and within Africa over her term as United Nations Deputy Secretary-General from 2007 to 2012.  Through various field missions to some of the world’s worst-affected countries with UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé, Ms. Migiro became a powerful advocate for a greater balance in HIV-related caregiving responsibilities between men and women on the African continent.

As Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Migiro was also instrumental in building the momentum needed to eliminate all infections in newborn children by 2015, lobbied leaders of faith to help end the marginalization of those affected by HIV, and lent her voice to the Secretary-General’s efforts to end HIV-related stigma and discrimination all around the world.  Before her appointment as Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Migiro served as the United Republic of Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation from 2006-2007 — the first woman to hold that position since the country’s independence.  During her time as Foreign Minister, Ms. Migiro led her country’s engagement in the pursuit of peace, security and development in the Great Lakes Region.  Earlier, she served as Minister for Community Development, Gender and Children for five years.

Prior to this distinguished career in government, Ms. Migiro had a successful career in academia as a member of the Faculty of Law at the University of Dar-es-Salaam, where she rose to the rank of Senior Lecturer.  Between 1992 and 1994, she headed the University’s Department of Constitutional and Administrative Law; and between 1994 and 1997 she headed its Department of Civil and Criminal Law.  Ms. Migiro later served as a member of the United Republic of Tanzania’s Law Reform Commission in 1997, and as a member of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in 2000.

She obtained her Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws from the University of Dar-es-Salaam and her doctorate in 1992 from the University of Konstanz in Germany.

Ms. Migiro was born in Songea, Tanzania, on 9 July 1956.  She is married to Professor Cleophas Migiro and has two daughters.  She speaks English and Kiswahili, as well as basic French and German.

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*     This supersedes Press Release SG/A/1039 of 9 February 2007.

For information media • not an official record