Leading Men Kofi Atta Annan

Kofi Atta Annan, a diplomat from the West African country of Ghana was the first to emerge from the ranks of United Nations (UN) staff to serve as the Secretary-General of the UN. He served as the seventh UN Secretary-General from 1997 to 2006. The UN and Annan were jointly awarded the The Nobel Peace Prize 2001 "for their work for a better organized and more peaceful world". While he was the Secretary-General, he prioritized the establishment of a comprehensive reforms programme aimed at revitalizing the UN. UN had traditionally been working in the areas of development and he worked for further strengthening this work. A passionate advocate of human rights, and a strong believer in the universal values of equality, tolerance and human dignity, Annan wanted to bring the UN closer to the people by reaching out to new partners, and thereby restore public confidence in the organization. He had a major part to play in the establishment of two new intergovernmental bodies: the Peace building Commission and the Human Rights Council in 2005.

Childhood & Early Life

• Kofi Atta Annan and his twin sister Efua Atta were born to Victoria and Henry Reginald Annan in Kumasi, Ghana. Henry Reginald used to work as an export manager for the Lever Brothers cocoa company.
• Both of his grandfathers and his uncle were tribal chiefs and he was raised in one of Ghana's aristocratic families.

Career

• Kofi Annan’s career with the UN began in 1962 when he joined as an administrative and budget officer with the World Health Organization in Geneva.
• He took a short break from being an international civil servant when he worked as the director of tourism in Ghana from 1974 to 1976.

Major works

• As the Secretary-General of the UN, he launched the “Global Compact” campaign in 1999, which is the world’s biggest initiative for promoting corporate social responsibility.
• Annan viewed the HIV/AIDS pandemic as his “personal priority”, and in April 2001, issued a “Call to Action”, proposing the establishment of a Global AIDS and Health Fund to help developing countries deal with the crisis.

Awards & Achievements

• Annan and the UN were jointly awarded The Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 for “their work for a better organized and more peaceful world."

Personal Life & Legacy

• Annan was previously married to Titi Alakija, a Nigerian woman whom he divorced in the 1970s. They have two children, Ama and Kojo. He is currently married to Nane Lagergren, a Swedish lawyer.

• Trivia
• The name ‘Kofi’ literally means “a boy born on a Friday.”
• He is fluent in many languages including English, French, Akan and other African languages.
• His memoir “Interventions: A Life in War and Peace”, written with Nader Mousavizadeh was published in 2012.
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