H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan

Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan is the sixth President of the United Republic of Tanzania and Chairmanship of the Ruling Party, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM). She was sworn in on 19th March 2021 following the untimely death of His Excellency President Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli. Her Excellency is the first woman to hold this key position in the history of the United Republic of Tanzania and the first Vice President in Tanzania and East Africa to ascend to presidency. Prior to assuming the Presidency she was the fourth Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania after the re-introduction of the multiparty system in 1992. In 2016, she was appointed by the then UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon to be a Member of the UN High Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment in charge of East and South regions of Africa from 2015 to 2017. During her tenure she tabled 27 commitments to the Panel of which the Tanzanian Government earmarked steps to be taken in the implementation of Strategic Programs for provision of sustainable approach in the realization of the gender prosperity to ensure full economic empowerment for women. Among the initiatives undertaken were: Overseeing the creation and set up of women economic platforms countrywide that linked women’s small and medium enterprises to cross-border markets, soft loans and entrepreneurial skills; and liaised with the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and the Children in preparing and launching the campaign to increase accountability in reducing maternal and new-born deaths locally known as ‘Jiongeze tuwavushe Salama’