The former UN secretary general Kofi Annan, has died at the age of 80 after a short illness, his family and foundation announced on Saturday.
The Ghanaian was the seventh secretary general and served for two terms between 1997 and 2006. He was awarded the Nobel peace prize for his humanitarian work jointly with the UN as an organisation in 2001.
He died in hospital in Bern, Switzerland in the early hours of Saturday with his wife, Nane, and three children Ama, Kojo and Nina, by his side. He had retired to Geneva and later lived in a Swiss village.
Kofi Annan - in pictures Read more
Annan’s foundation issued a statement on his Twitter account on Saturday that described him as a “global statesman and deeply committed internationalist who fought throughout his life for a fairer and more peaceful world”.
Kofi Annan (@KofiAnnan) It is with immense sadness that the Annan family and the Kofi Annan Foundation announce that Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Laureate, passed away peacefully on Saturday 18th August after a short illness... pic.twitter.com/42nGOxmcPZ
The statement added that Annan, who succeeded Boutros Boutros-Ghali as UN leader, was a “son of Ghana and felt a special responsibility towards Africa”.
The current UN secretary general, António Guterres, whom Annan appointed to lead its refugee agency, said: “In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations. He rose through the ranks to lead the organisation into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination.”
Kofi Annan: 'Sometimes you don't have to pick a fight to get your way' Read more
The former UK prime minister Tony Blair said on Twitter that he was shocked and distressed by Annan’s death. “He was a good friend whom I saw only weeks ago. Kofi Annan was a great diplomat, a true statesman and a wonderful colleague who was widely respected and will be greatly missed. My deepest sympathy go to Nane and his family,” he said.
Theresa May, the UK prime minister, said on Twitter:
Theresa May (@theresa_may) Sad to hear of the death of Kofi Annan. A great leader and reformer of the UN, he made a huge contribution to making the world he has left a better place than the one he was born into. My thoughts and condolences are with his family. pic.twitter.com/P0SWagShJM
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted:
Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) Kofi Annan dedicated his life to building a more just and peaceful world.
His efforts in support of conflict resolution and human rights will be remembered. He looked for a peaceful path when others looked for war.
My thoughts are with his family and loved ones.
Annan was chair of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working for peace and human rights founded by Nelson Mandela. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former prime minister of Norway and the body’s deputy chair, said she and her colleagues were devastated by Annan’s death.
“Kofi was a strong and inspiring presence to us all, and The Elders would not be where it is today without his leadership. Throughout his life, Kofi worked unceasingly to improve the lives of millions of people around the world,” she said.
Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty International’s secretary general, said the world had lost a great leader: “Kofi’s dedication and drive for a more peaceful and just world, his lifelong championing of human rights, and the dignity and grace with which he led will be sorely missed in a world which needs these characteristics more than ever.”
Play Video 1:04 Kofi Annan's three key UN speeches - video
Born in Kumasi, Ghana, on 8 April 1938, Annan joined the UN system in 1962 as an administrative officer with the World Health Organization in Geneva. He later served with the Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, the UN Emergency Force in Ismailia, the UN high commissioner for refugees in Geneva and in several senior posts at its headquarters in New York.
Before becoming secretary general, he was under-secretary general for peacekeeping and also served as special representative of the secretary general to the former Yugoslavia between 1995 and 1996.
The UN peacekeeping operation faced two of its most criticised incidents under Annan’s leadership for its conduct during the Rwanda genocide in 1994 and the massacre in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica in July 1995.
In both cases, the UN had deployed troops under Annan’s command, but they failed to save the lives of the civilians they were mandated to protect. After becoming secretary general, he ordered UN reports on both debacles that were highly critical of his management.
Play Video 0:37 Moment Kofi Annan was sworn in as UN secretary general in 1996 - video
His tenure as secretary general, which began six years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and also covered the 11 September 2001 attacks and subsequent US-led war against Iraq, was one of the UN’s most turbulent periods since its founding in 1945.
Annan used his final speech as secretary general in December 2006 to deliver a parting shot at the administration of George W Bush, accusing the US of committing human rights abuses in the name of fighting terrorism.
The Guardian concluded at the time that the speech amounted to a broad condemnation of the neoconservative ideology guiding US foreign policy under Bush and was a clear break with protocol for a departing UN chief. US forces invaded Iraq in March 2003 without the approval of the UN security council.
“When power, especially military force, is used, the world will consider it legitimate only when convinced that it is being used for the right purpose – for broadly shared aims in accordance with broadly accepted norms,” he said in the speech delivered at the Harry Truman presidential library in Independence, Missouri.
He acknowledged more recently that the UN still had its faults. “The UN can be improved, it is not perfect but if it didn’t exist you would have to create it,” he told the BBC during an interview for his 80th birthday in April. “I am a stubborn optimist, I was born an optimist and will remain an optimist.”
Mantan Sekretaris Jenderal (Sekjen) Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa (PBB) Kofi Annan meninggal dunia di usia 80 tahun. Annan meninggal dunia setelah menderita sakit mendadak. Seperti dilansir AFP dan Reuters , Sabtu (18/8/2018), kabar kepergian Annan ini disampaikan oleh pihak Kofi Annan Foundation. "Dengan kesedihan mendalam, keluarga Annan dan Kofi Annan Foundation mengumumkan bahwa Kofi Annan, mantan Sekretaris Jenderal PBB dan Penerima Nobel Perdamaian, meninggal dunia dengan damai pada Sabtu, 18 Agustus, setelah menderita sakit mendadak," demikian pernyataan pihak yayasan.
Dituturkan dua kerabat dekatnya, Annan yang berkewarganegaraan Ghana ini meninggal dunia saat menjalani perawatan di sebuah rumah sakit di Bern, Swiss. Annan meninggal dunia pada Sabtu (18/8) pagi waktu setempat. Annan menjabat sebagai Sekjen PBB ke-7 antara tahun 1997-2006. Dia merupakan Sekjen PBB pertama yang menjabat dari jajaran staf PBB. Annan meninggalkan seorang istri bernama Nane dan tiga anak.
ACCRA, KOMPAS.com - Mantan Sekretaris Jenderal Persatuan Bangsa-bangsa ( PBB), Kofi Annan, dilaporkan meninggal dunia.
Kabar tersebut diumumkan oleh Badan PBB untuk Migrasi melalui kicauan di Twitter, sebagaimana diwartakan CNN Sabtu (18/8/2018).
Baca juga: Kofi Annan Desak DK PBB Pastikan Warga Rohingya Kembali ke Myanmar
"Dengan kesedihan yang mendalam, kami mengumumkan bahwa Kofi Annan, telah meninggal dengan tenang di usia 80 tahun," ujar badan migrasi PBB.
It is with immense sadness that the Annan family and the Kofi Annan Foundation announce that Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Laureate, passed away peacefully on Saturday 18th August after a short illness... pic.twitter.com/42nGOxmcPZ
Image copyright AFP
Kofi Annan, the only black African to become UN secretary-general, has died.
The 80-year-old "passed away peacefully on Saturday after a short illness", the foundation named after him said.
His home country, Ghana, has declared a week of national mourning. Annan served two terms as UN chief from 1997 to 2006, and was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work.
He later served as the UN special envoy for Syria, leading efforts to find a solution to the conflict.
In a statement announcing his death, the Kofi Annan Foundation described him as a "global statesman and deeply committed internationalist who fought throughout his life for a fairer and more peaceful world".
"Wherever there was suffering or need, he reached out and touched many people with his deep compassion and empathy."
The career diplomat died in hospital in the Swiss city of Bern. He had been living near Geneva for several years.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 for helping to revitalise the international body, during a period that coincided with the Iraq War and the HIV/Aids pandemic.
Image copyright AFP Image caption Kofi Annan's wife, Nane, was by his side when he died
Kofi Annan described his greatest achievement as the Millennium Development Goals which - for the first time - set global targets on issues such as poverty and child mortality.
However, Annan was not immune from criticism. His critics blamed him for the UN's failure to halt the genocide in Rwanda in the 1990s when he was head of the organisation's peacekeeping operations.
Later, after the US-led invasion of Iraq, he and his son were accused of being involved in the "oil for food corruption scandal" that led some to call for his resignation, though he was later exonerated.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Annan told the BBC in April that the world had become "particularly messy"
In an interview with the BBC's HardTalk to mark his 80th birthday in April, Annan acknowledged the UN's shortcomings, saying it "can be improved, it is not perfect but if it didn't exist you would have to create it".
"I am a stubborn optimist, I was born an optimist and will remain an optimist," he added.
Current UN chief Antonio Guterres has been leading the tributes to his predecessor, describing Annan as "a guiding force for good".
"In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations. He rose through the ranks to lead the organisation into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination," he said in a statement.
UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said in a tweet he was grief-stricken over Annan's death:
Tributes have been pouring in from world leaders and diplomats, including UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg.
President Vladimir Putin of Russia said the memory of Annan would "forever live in the hearts of Russians".
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "the world has lost not only a great African diplomat and humanitarian but also a conscience keeper of international peace and security".
Announcing the week of national mourning, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo called Annan "one of our greatest compatriots".
The diplomat's career continued after retirement from the UN, and in 2007 he set up his own foundation aimed at promoting global sustainable development, security and peace.
A year later, his reputation was boosted after he successfully helped negotiate a power-sharing deal to end post-election violence in Kenya.
In a Facebook tribute, Raila Odinga, the opposition leader who signed the agreement, called Annan "the man who stepped in and saved the country from collapse".
In 2012 he was made chair of The Elders, a peace and human rights advocacy group started by South Africa's Nelson Mandela.
Image copyright AFP Image caption Annan attended an event marking Nelson Mandela's 100th birth anniversary in Johannesburg last month
The same year, he quit his post as UN envoy to Syria after only six months in the role, citing the failures of world powers to fulfil their commitments. He was later quoted as saying: "I lost my troops on the way to Damascus."
His most recent role was chairing an independent commission investigation Myanmar's Rohingya crisis.
Annan's wife, Nane, and three children were "by his side during his last days", the Kofi Annan Foundation said.
