Kofi Annan

Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 80, was a pioneer in many respects. The Ghanaian was the first black African to become UN Secretary General. His work at making the UN relevant at a time when the US was the sole superpower in the world not only won him a second term as secretary general but also earned him a Nobel Peace Prize. It was during his tenure that the UN set global targets for reducing poverty under the Millennium Development Goals. He had the courage and integrity to invite the wrath of the US when he opposed its invasion of Iraq. After leaving the post as secretary general in 2006, Annan continued his work as a diplomat, most recently as a peacemaker in Syria and investigating the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Annan was known for his empathy and compassion. This was on display in his response to the AIDS crisis, which had become an epidemic in Africa during his reign as secretary general. That the severity of the problem has now been reduced significantly owes a lot to Annan’s effort.

Kofi Annan was not without his critics. He and his son were accused of being involved in the Iraq oil-for-food corruption scandal although none of the allegations were ever proven. In the 1990s, as head of the UN’s peacekeeping operations, he was part of the decision not to take action to stop the genocide in Rwanda. There are also those who believe that Annan became too much of an insider to affect real change. What no one doubts, however, is that Annan gave a voice to many who were previously ignored by Western powers and that he handled the poisoned chalice that is the job of secretary general as best he could. His failures are largely due to the structural failures of the UN and it is telling that Annan wanted wholesale reform of the organisation, particularly in the composition of the Security Council. At a time when civil wars, fuelled by global and regional rivalries, are raging around the world, one thing is for sure: the calm assurance of someone like Kofi Annan will surely be missed.