Date of Birth: April 8, 1938
Zodiac Sign: Aries
Date of Death: August 18, 2018
Biography
Kofi Annan was a distinguished Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1997 to December 2006. Born into an aristocratic family in Kumasi, Ghana, Annan’s early education took place at the elite Mfantsipim boarding school and continued at the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. He later studied economics at Macalester College in Minnesota, management at MIT Sloan School of Management, and international relations at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. Annan’s career with the United Nations began in 1962, and over the years, he held various positions within the organization, including serving as Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping. As Secretary-General, he focused on reforming the UN bureaucracy, advocating for human rights, and promoting global peace and security. Notably, he and the UN were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 for their work in fostering a better organized and more peaceful world.
5 Interesting Facts about Kofi Annan
1. Kofi Annan was the first person from Sub-Saharan Africa to be elected as the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
2. In 2001, Annan and the United Nations were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work for a better organized and more peaceful world.
3. He established the Global AIDS and Health Fund to assist developing countries in dealing with the HIV/AIDS crisis.
4. Annan played a key role in the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
5. He co-founded the Kofi Annan Foundation, which works to promote better global governance and strengthen the capacities of people and countries to achieve a fairer, more peaceful world.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Kofi Annan
1. “To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.”
2. “We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race.”
3. “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.”
4. “The Lord had the wonderful advantage of being able to work alone.”
5. “More countries have understood that women’s equality is a prerequisite for development.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
At the peak of his career, Kofi Annan’s net worth was estimated to be around $5 million.
Children
Kofi Annan had three children: 1. Ama Annan 2. Kojo Annan 3. Nina Cronstedt de Groot (stepdaughter)
Relevant Links
1. [Kofi Annan Foundation](https://www.kofiannanfoundation.org/
2. [Nobel Prize Biography](https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2001/annan/biographical/
3. [United Nations Biography](https://www.un.org/sg/en/formersg/annan.shtml
4. [BBC Obituary](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-45232892
5. [Biography on Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kofi-Annan
