Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 20 august 2018

Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan dies at age 80

By FRANCIS KOKUTSE and ed, however, both through the Sept. 11 attacks — then never afraid to speak can- ogy in Kumasi. He finished
JOHN HEILPRIN charm and by virtue of hav- divided deeply over the didly. That didn’t always his undergraduate work in
Associated Press ing negotiated with most of U.S.-led war against Iraq. win him fans, particularly in economics at Macalester
ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — the powers in the world. The U.S. relationship tested the case of Bush’s admin- College in St. Paul, Minne-
Kofi Annan, a charismatic sota, in 1961. From there he
global diplomat and the went to Geneva, where he
first black African to be- began his graduate studies
come United Nations sec- in international affairs and
retary-general who led the launched his U.N. career.
world body through one of Annan married Titi Alakija,
its most turbulent periods, a Nigerian woman, in 1965,
died early Saturday at age and they had a daughter,
80. Ama, and a son, Kojo. He
Tributes flowed in from returned to the U.S. in 1971
around the world after his and earned a master’s de-
foundation announced his gree at the Massachusetts
death in the Swiss capital, Institute of Technology’s
Bern, after a short and un- Sloan School of Manage-
specified illness. The state- ment.
ment remembered the The couple separated dur-
Nobel Peace Prize winner ing the 1970s and, while
as “radiating genuine kind- working in Geneva, Annan
ness, warmth and brilliance met his second wife, Swed-
in all he did.” ish lawyer Nane Lagergren.
He died “peacefully in his They married in 1984.
sleep,” the president of Annan worked for the U.N.
Ghana, where Annan was Economic Commission for
born, said after speaking to Africa in Ethiopia, its Emer-
his wife. gency Force in Egypt and
At U.N. headquarters in the office of the High Com-
New York, the U.N. flag flew In this Tuesday March 29, 2005 file photo United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan addresses missioner for Refugees in
at half-staff and a bouquet a news conference at the United Nations. Geneva before taking a
of flowers was placed under Associated Press series of senior posts at
Annan’s portrait. Reflecting U.N. headquarters in New
the widespread regard that When he departed from him as a world diplomatic istration, with whom An- York dealing with human
won him a groundbreaking the United Nations, he left leader. nan’s camp spent much resources, budget, finance
uncontested election to a behind a global organiza- “I think that my darkest time bickering. Much of his and staff security.
second term, leaders from tion far more aggressively moment was the Iraq war, second term was spent at He also had special assign-
Russia, India, Israel, France engaged in peacekeep- and the fact that we could odds with the United States, ments. After Iraq invaded
and elsewhere expressed ing and fighting poverty, not stop it,” Annan said in the U.N.’s biggest contribu- Kuwait in 1990, he facili-
condolences for a man Bill setting the framework for a February 2013 interview tor, as he tried to lean on it tated the repatriation from
Gates called “one of the its 21st-century response to with TIME magazine to mark to pay almost $2 billion in Iraq of more than 900 in-
great peacemakers of our mass atrocities and its em- the publication of his mem- arrears. ternational staff and other
time.” phasis on human rights and oir, “Interventions: A Life in At the end of his Nobel ac- non-Iraqi nationals, and the
Annan spent virtually his development. War and Peace.” ceptance speech Annan release of Western hostag-
entire career as an admin- “In many ways, Kofi Annan “I worked very hard — I was reminded the world why es in Iraq. He led the initial
istrator in the United Na- was the United Nations,” working the phone, talk- such pressure is necessary. negotiations with Iraq for
tions. His aristocratic style, current U.N. Secretary- ing to leaders around the “Beneath the surface of the sale of oil in exchange
cool-tempered elegance General Antonio Guterres world. The U.S. did not have states and nations, ideas for humanitarian relief.
and political savvy helped said. the support in the Security and language, lies the fate The U.N. peacekeeping
guide his ascent to be- “He rose through the ranks Council,” Annan recalled of individual human be- operation faced two of its
come its seventh secretary- to lead the organization in the videotaped interview ings in need,” he said. “An- greatest failures during his
general, and the first hired into the new millennium posted on his foundation’s swering their needs will be tenure: the Rwanda geno-
from within. with matchless dignity and website. the mission of the United cide in 1994 and the mas-
His two terms were from determination.” “So they decided to go Nations in the century to sacre in the Bosnian town
Jan. 1, 1997, to Dec. 31, Even out of office, Annan without the council. But I come.” of Srebrenica in July 1995.
2006, capped nearly mid- never completely left the think the council was right Kofi Atta Annan was born In both cases, the U.N. had
way when he and the U.N. U.N. orbit. He returned in in not sanctioning the war,” April 8, 1938, into an elite deployed troops under
were jointly awarded the special roles, including as he said. “Could you imag- family in Kumasi, Ghana, Annan’s command, but
Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. the U.N.-Arab League’s ine if the U.N. had endorsed the son of a provincial gov- they failed to save the lives
During his tenure, Annan special envoy to Syria in the war in Iraq, what our ernor and grandson of two of the civilians they were
presided over some of the 2012. He remained a pow- reputation would be like? tribal chiefs. mandated to protect.
worst failures and scandals erful advocate for global Although at that point, He shared his middle name Annan offered apolo-
at the world body. Chal- causes through his epony- President (George W.) Bush Atta — “twin” in Ghana’s gies but ignored calls to
lenges from the outset mous foundation. said the U.N. was headed Akan language — with a resign by U.S. Republican
forced him to spend much Annan took on the top U.N. toward irrelevance, be- twin sister, Efua. He became lawmakers. After becom-
of his time struggling to re- post six years after the col- cause we had not sup- fluent in English, French and ing secretary-general, he
store its tarnished reputa- lapse of the Soviet Union ported the war. But now we several African languages, called for U.N. reports on
tion. and presided during a de- know better.” attending an elite board- those two debacles — and
His enduring moral prestige cade when the world unit- Despite his well-honed dip- ing school and the Universi- they were highly critical of
remained largely undent- ed against terrorism after lomatic skills, Annan was ty of Science and Technol- his management.q