With a pledge to work for an integrated UN, former Tanzanian Foreign Minister Asha-Rose Migiro was sworn in as UN deputy secretary general on February 5, making her the first woman from the African continent to hold such a powerful position in the world body.

Migiro's appointment early last month was widely seen as a signal of new UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's reform initiatives in the organization he took over on January 1. The UN chief had on several occasions said he would appoint a woman from the third world to the second highest post and made good on his promise with the selection of Migiro.

During Migiro's first meeting with the press at UN headquarters following a brief swearing-in ceremony, Ban voiced confidence in his deputy and remarked that "with her extensive knowledge and experience…she will bring leadership qualities to this organization."

The 50-year-old Migiro, a lawyer and former university lecturer, had served as the minister of community development, gender and children's affairs of Tanzania for five years, before serving as Tanzania's first female foreign minister in January 2006. Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete said he was very proud of his former top diplomat.

Earlier, UN spokeswoman Michele Montas told media that the secretary general had emphasized Migiro was "not named because she's an African and because she's a woman, but essentially because of her qualifications."

Ban was also quoted by The Associated Press as saying he would be delegating much of the management and administration of the UN Secretariat to Migiro, as well as socioeconomic and development issues to ensure the functioning of the UN in a more effective and efficient manner.

Migiro is the third person to be appointed to the position of deputy secretary general since former UN chief Kofi Annan created the post in 1998.

"She [Migiro] is a highly respected leader who has championed the cause of developing countries over the years."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon

"By working together, with a common vision, I am confident we will succeed in meeting the enormous

expectations placed upon us."

Asha-Rose Migiro, commenting in a letter to UN staff

"We commit ourselves to spare no effort to end the unlawful recruitment and use of children by armed forces or groups in all regions of the world."

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, speaking at the end of a two-day conference in Paris where 58 countries signed up the first intergovernmental commitments on ending the use of child soldiers

"We are in an emergency situation."

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla, speaking after flooding since February 2 had reportedly killed 29 people in Jakarta and made nearly 340,000 homeless in three days

"China is willing, in accordance with its strategy of sustainable development, to make contributions within its capacity to dealing with climate change."

Jiang Yu, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, talking to the media after a UN report indicated the "very likely" involvement of humans in global warming, resulting from the burning of fossil fuels

"The prime responsibility in preventing further bloodshed rests with Iraqis themselves."

Ashraf Qazi, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's special representative to Iraq, calling for unity among Iraqi factions to end the violence that is "tearing their society to pieces"

"It doesn't take a lot of capital inflows to create very bubbly positions, inflationary positions, financially destabilizing

positions."

Bill Belchere, Asian economist at Macquarie Securities Ltd. in Hong Kong, warning that Asian economies' current measures aiming to control lending and reduce the inflow of overseas hot money may fail to prevent disastrous asset bubbles

"A drastic revaluation of the yuan may suit the interests of international speculators but could trigger a financial crisis

in China."

Lin Yifu, Director of the China Center for Economic Research at Peking University, rejecting the claim that the Chinese currency is grossly undervalued