Kofi Annan Quotes

A collection of quotes by Kofi Annan.

Kofi Annan was a Ghanaian diplomat and the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) from 1997 to 2006. He was born on April 8, 1938, in Kumasi, Gold Coast (now Ghana), and passed away on August 18, 2018, in Bern, Switzerland.

Annan's career at the UN spanned over four decades, during which he worked tirelessly to address and resolve numerous global issues. He was known for his ability to promote diplomacy, peace, and human rights. As Secretary-General, Annan was highly regarded for his efforts in reforming the UN, enhancing its focus on development, and advocating for sustainable development goals.

Prior to his role as Secretary-General, Annan held several key positions within the UN, including Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations. He played an instrumental role in the peaceful transition of Namibia, and was also involved in peace initiatives in numerous conflict-ridden countries, including Bosnia, Rwanda, and Iraq.

For his remarkable contributions, Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the United Nations in 2001. After his tenure as Secretary-General, he continued to be actively engaged in various peace and humanitarian initiatives, including his role as the UN-Arab League Joint Special Representative for Syria.

Kofi Annan leaves behind a profound legacy as a skilled diplomat, a committed advocate for global justice, and a sincere proponent of multilateralism. His unwavering dedication to finding peaceful solutions to international crises and promoting a more equitable world earned him widespread admiration and respect.

To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who

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.

Live Want You Choose Know Stand

It has been said that arguing against globalization is like

It has been said that arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity.

Laws Been Arguing

I urge the Iraqi leadership for sake of its own people... to

I urge the Iraqi leadership for sake of its own people... to seize this opportunity and thereby begin to end the isolation and suffering of the Iraqi people.

Leadership

Business, labor and civil society organizations have skills

Business, labor and civil society organizations have skills and resources that are vital in helping to build a more robust global community.

Society

Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is

Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.

Knowledge Society

Many African leaders refuse to send their troops on peace ke

Many African leaders refuse to send their troops on peace keeping missions abroad because they probably need their armies to intimidate their own populations.

Peace

The Lord had the wonderful advantage of being able to work a

The Lord had the wonderful advantage of being able to work alone.

Alone

Open markets offer the only realistic hope of pulling billio

Open markets offer the only realistic hope of pulling billions of people in developing countries out of abject poverty, while sustaining prosperity in the industrialized world.

History

More countries have understood that women's equality is a pr

More countries have understood that women's equality is a prerequisite for development.

Equality

The question is the morning after. What sort of Iraq do we w

The question is the morning after. What sort of Iraq do we wake up to after the bombing? What happens in the region? What impact could it have? These are questions leaders I have spoken to have posed.

Morning

In the 21st century, I believe the mission of the United Nat

In the 21st century, I believe the mission of the United Nations will be defined by a new, more profound awareness of the sanctity and dignity of every human life, regardless of race or religion.

Religion

We need to keep hope alive and strive to do better.

We need to keep hope alive and strive to do better.

Hope

If information and knowledge are central to democracy, they

If information and knowledge are central to democracy, they are conditions for development.

Knowledge

Education is a human right with immense power to transform.

Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.

Education

We need to think of the future and the planet we are going t

We need to think of the future and the planet we are going to leave to our children and their children.

Future

If one is going to err, one should err on the side of libert

If one is going to err, one should err on the side of liberty and freedom.

Freedom

There is no development strategy more beneficial to society

There is no development strategy more beneficial to society as a whole - women and men alike - than the one which involves women as central players.

Society

Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a preco

Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.

Equality