Summary Biography of the Chair of the Bureau of the OACPS Committee of Ambassadors, H.E. Jestas Abuok Nyamanga
H.E. Mr. Jestas Abuok Nyamanga took up his post as Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary of the United Republic of Tanzania to the Kingdom of Belgium, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Head of Mission to the European Union and the Mission to the Organisation of the African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) in December 2019.
Ambassador Nyamangas’ career has included both bilateral and multilateral assignments. Prior to his current position, he was the Director for the Department of Europe and Americas at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
He has also served as Assistant Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since February 2014. In that capacity, he was posted in the Department of Multilateral Cooperation, heading International Development Cooperation Affairs. He has also served as the Coordinator in the Office of the Chief Secretary in the President’s Office and as the Cabinet Assistant Secretary at the Cabinet Secretariat in the Office of the President, responsible for advising on Foreign, Defence and Security affairs.
A career diplomat with over 20 years’ experience in diplomacy, Ambassador Nyamanga began his Foreign Service career in 1999 as a third Secretary and rose through all the diplomatic career ranks to attain the rank of Minister Plenipotentiary in 2013. He has executed a number of duties including working as Personal Advisor in the private office of the Deputy Foreign Minister. Between 2003-2004, he participated as part of the delegation of Tanzania in negotiation for the peace process in Comoros.
No stranger to Middle East and Northern African affairs, Ambassador Nyamanga served in Cairo as the Deputy Head of Mission and the Head of Chancery at Tanzania’s Embassy with special responsibility for coordination and for overseeing work in political, economic and administrative affairs. In this position, he also served in Israel, Libya, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon where the embassy was also accredited.
Ambassador Nyamanga holds a B.A (Hon.) Degree in International Relations and Public Administration from the University of Dar es Salaam, where he also earned an M.A. Degree in International Relations through the DAAD- German Scholarship award.
He is a Chevening Scholar and holder of a Post-Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy from Oxford University, United Kingdom. He also pursued diplomatic professional training at the Institute of External Relations in New Delhi, India and earned a Post Graduate Certificate with Distinction. He is a Feltham Award Holder from the Queen Elizabeth Institute, Oxford University and also holds certificates in the fields of Negotiations, Crisis Management, Economic Diplomacy Management, Leadership Development and Peacekeeping.
Ambassador Nyamanga speaks English and Swahili fluently and has a good understanding of Arabic.