UN Secretary-General appoints Tanzanian Foreign Minister Asha-Rose Migiro as UN Deputy Secretary-General

The UN secretary general Mr. Ban Ki-Moon of South Korea said upon his announcement "I have decided to appoint Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania, as Deputy Secretary-General. Minister Migiro served previously as Minister for Community Development, Gender and Children of the United Republic of Tanzania for five years. In her academic career, she rose to the rank of a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Dar-es-Salaam.

She is a highly respected leader who has championed the cause of developing countries over the years. Through her distinguished service in diverse areas, she has displayed outstanding management skills with wide experience and expertise in socio-economic affairs and development issues.

I have deep confidence in and respect for her, and intend to delegate much of the management and administrative work of the Secretariat, as well as socio-economic affairs and development issues, under a clear line of authority to ensure that the Secretariat will function in a more effective and efficient manner."

The current Tanzanian foreign minister, she replaces British diplomat Mark Malloch Brown.
Before joining the government, Ms Migiro was a senior lecturer at the law faculty of Dar es Salaam University.

The appointment fulfils Mr Ban's pledge to choose a woman to fill the post of deputy secretary general.
Mr Ban described Ms Migiro as a highly respected leader who had championed the cause of developing countries over the years.

Mr Ban, 62, is the first Asian to hold the top post in 35 years. The former South Korean foreign minister succeeded Kofi Annan, of Ghana.