Kofi Annan Dies in Sleep

Former United Nations Secretary, Kofi Atta Annan has passed on.

The international Icon, 80, died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday at in Berne, Switzerland where he had been receiving treatment following a short illness.

He was hospitalized in Geneva and later airlifted to Berne.

His death over the weekend has sent shock waves throughout the globe with so social media bussing with tribes from all persons far and near.

Busomuru, (a title conferred on him by Otomfuo Osei Tutu II) is the latest statement to have died following J. H. Mensah who was buried on Friday.

Already, the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in honour of his memory in statement has directed that all flags at half-mast across the country and in all of Ghana’s diplomatic missions across the world, from today, 20th August, 2018, for one week.

It said that the government and the citizens are saddened by the news of the death of Mr. Annan whom he described as “one of our greatest compatriots”.

“I extend, on behalf of the entire Ghanaian nation, our sincere, heartfelt condolences to his beloved widow, Nane Maria, and to his devoted children, Ama, Kojo and Nina, on this great loss. I am, however, comforted by the information, after speaking to Nane Maria that he died peacefully in his sleep.”

The president said as a Consummate international diplomat and highly respected former Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Annan was the first from sub-Saharan Africa to occupy this exalted position.

“He brought considerable renown to our country by this position and through his conduct and comportment in the global arena. He was an ardent believer in the capacity of the Ghanaian to chart his or her own course onto the path of progress and prosperity.”

He noted that undoubtedly, Mr. Annan excelled in the various undertakings of his life, leaving in his trail most pleasant memories. His was a life well-lived.

The former Ghanaian diplomat served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1997 to December 2006.

Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.

He was awarded the Peace Prize for having revitalized the UN and for having given priority to human rights.

The Nobel Committee also recognized his commitment to the struggle of containing the spread of HIV in Africa and his declared opposition to international terrorism.

He is the founder and Chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation, as well as chairman of The Elders, an international organization founded by Nelson Mandela.

His 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.

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.

He has been criticized for not expanding the Security Council and faced calls for resignation after an investigation into the Oil-for-Food Programme.

After leaving the UN, he founded the Kofi Annan Foundation in 2007 to work on international development.

In 2012, Annan was the UN–Arab League Joint Special Representative for Syria, to help find a resolution to the ongoing conflict there.

Annan quit after becoming frustrated with the UN’s lack of progress with regard to conflict resolution.

In September 2016, Annan was appointed to lead a UN commission to investigate the Rohingya crisis.

By: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson