Former president of the Republic of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor, has described the former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, as a true statesman.

Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem Monday, Mr Agyekum Kufuor said the late Kofi Annan was created purposely to serve the world which he managed to accomplish most of them.

“Kofi Annan was a very good friend of mine whose leadership skills was exceptional. I see his legacy as very extraordinary and that which will never be forgotten. He really lived an exemplary life and I believe that opened doors for Ghana,” he said while sharing fond memories of the former global leader.

The UN Chief passed on in Switzerland on August 18, 2018, after a short illness.

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Describing the death as very shocking, the former president said he was proud of working with Kofi Annan.

He said the 80-year-old Ghanaian diplomat having served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1997 to December 2006, revitalized the UN and gave priority to human rights.

Mr Kufuor also recognized Mr Annan’s commitment to the struggle of containing the spread of HIV in Africa and his declared opposition to international terrorism.

Kofi Annan’s work at the UN

Kofi Annan joined the UN in 1962, working for the World Health Organization’s Geneva office.

He went on to work in several capacities at the UN Headquarters including serving as the Under-Secretary-General for peacekeeping between March 1992 and December 1996.

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He was appointed as the Secretary-General on 13 December 1996 by the Security Council and later confirmed by the General Assembly, making him the first officeholder to be elected from the UN staff itself.

He was re-elected for a second term in 2001 and was succeeded as Secretary-General by Ban Ki-moon on 1 January 2007.

As the Secretary-General, Annan reformed the UN bureaucracy; worked to combat HIV, especially in Africa; and launched the UN Global Compact.

 




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