Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete was the fourth President of the United Republic of Tanzania, in office from 2005 to 2015. Prior to his election, from 1988 to 2015, he was Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Minister for Finance, Minister for Water, Energy and Minerals and Deputy Minister of Energy and Minerals.

As Foreign Minister and later President, he played a pivotal role in conflict resolution and peace processes in Burundi, the Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya,  Madagascar and Zimbabwe. He also briefly worked on such issues in Libya.

When he was President, he championed development and the global health agenda. He has been proactive on population, malaria, HIV and AIDS, immunization, nutrition and the health of women, children and adolescents.

President Kikwete has been associated with a number of panels, commissions and boards. He was Co-Chair of the United Nations Commission on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health; Chair of the United Nations High-Level Panel on the Global Response to Health Crises and Founding Chair of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance.

Currently, he is the Alternate Co-Chair of the United Nations High-Level Advisory Group for Every Woman Every Child; member of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement Lead Group, member of the End Malaria Council, Gavi’s Global Ambassador for Immunisation and the Chair of Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation.