Former UN chief, Nobel Prize winner Kofi Annan passes away
According to international diplomats, former United Nations Secretary-General and Nobel Prize winner Kofi Annan has passed away at the age of 80. Born in Kumasi, Ghana, on April 8, 1938, Annan served as the 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations. Notably, in 2001, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. It's reported that Annan passed away in Switzerland at 5am on Saturday.
Kofi Annan's family announces the former Sec-Gen's passing
Annan was the first black UN Sec-Gen
Notably, Kofi Annan was the first black African to serve as the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and his tenure coincided with the Iraq War and the HIV/Aids pandemic. Later, after his retirement from the post, Annan served as the UN special envoy for Syria, and led efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict that has now all but destroyed the nation.
Annan's UN career began from a lowly post
Annan, however, had to struggle to reach the top. Just two days before he turned 19, his country gained its independence, becoming what we call Ghana today. Following independence, Annan studied at newly-independent Ghana's first university, before pursuing higher studies at the Macalester College in the US. After completing his studies, Annan began his UN career as a lowly budget officer for the WHO.
Annan's pre Secretary-General period was a turbulent one
By 1993, Annan had climbed the ranks to become UN's Under Secretary-General and Head of Peacekeeping. From 1994 to 1995, following the massacre of over 800,000 people in Rwanda, and 8,000 Muslims in the so called UN-safe area of Bosnia, Annan and his department came under fire, especially after it emerged that the UN could have played a role in stopping the Rwandan genocide.
Annan inherited a UN on the brink of bankruptcy
However, despite this, Annan went on to become the UN Secretary-General in 1997, and inherited an organization on the brink of bankruptcy. Annan set about to reform the UN, and had to cut over 1,000 jobs in the UN's New York headquarters alone. Additionally, he got the US to pay a debt it owed the UN, and turned his attention to the future.
Annan was unanimously re-elected after his first term
Annan was also instrumental in establishing the UN's ambitious Millennium Goals which sought to deal with major issues facing the world. In 2001, the UN and Annan were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. The Nobel Committee observed that Annan had brought "new life to the organization". Annan was unanimously re-elected as the Secretary-General in the same year.
After US' Iraq invasion, Annan was implicated in a scandal
However, in 2003, after the US, one of Annan's biggest backers, bypassed the UN to declare war on Iran, Annan fell out with the superpower. Then, in 2004, Annan was implicated in the "oil for food scandal" both personally and professionally. While an investigation in the following year cleared Annan's name, the inquiry did find shortfalls in how Annan had overseen the program.
Annan only nominally retired, kept serving in diplomatic missions
While Annan did not heed US politicians' calls for his resignation following the scandal, he did step down 18 months later in December 2006. A year later, in 2007, Annan set up the Kofi Annan Foundation to promote global sustainable development, peace, and security. Annan continued taking part in diplomatic missions around the world, and continued his vocal criticism of issues like climate change.
