Kufuor on the death of Busumuru Kofi Annan

Statement by Former President John Kufuor on the passing away of Busumuru Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations.

I learned with utter shock the demise of my good friend and former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Busumuru Kofi Annan, on Saturday morning the 18th of August 2018. Although I had known for the past few weeks that he was unwell, I did not for a minute contemplate that the illness will lead to his departure from this world.

Kofi, as I affectionately called him, was such a fine gentleman who served the world community well, through the United Nations as an officer who rose to the top from within; serving with class, distinction and decorum. His secretary-generalship brought back world commitment to the United Nations and, indeed, its Charter, and a renewed respect to an organization which had almost lost its prestige and relevance in world affairs.

His dignified way of carrying himself, his level-headedness, his soft manner of speaking, and generally his panache showcased an unintimidating but hugely effective leadership to an organization that was beset with a myriad of world problems during his tenure. Never shy of his convictions and never afraid to voice them out while treating all sides with fairness, he endeared himself to all protagonists in any dispute with these attributes which contributed to his immense success as a world leader. I would not hesitate to say that Kofi was considered by all as a well-liked and great global leader of our times.

His commitment to the upliftment of the world’s poor and vulnerable was unmatched and visible to all, having given effect to this by his leadership, as the Secretary-General, in the promulgation of the pioneering Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the new paradigm of development among developing countries, at the turn of the new millennium. This made it possible for the successor 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which seeks to, additionally, preserve our planet.

His passing is a deep loss to our nation, to his family, and indeed, to humanity. I mourn with the country and the family he has left behind.

May his family be consoled as we ask The Almighty God to grant his soul a deserving rest in His bosom.

John Kufuor
Former President of Ghana