IN the wake of the death of former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, tributes have been pouring in from world leaders and citizens of the world who are celebrating his enduring legacy as a peacekeeper and advocate for inclusive development.
The current Secretary-General António Guterres said Kofi’s legacy will ‘remain a true inspiration for us all,’ while Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo declared that flags in the country and diplomatic missions would fly at half-mast for a week starting Monday 20th August.
‘He brought considerable renown to our country by this position and through his conduct and comportment in the global arena,’ read part of President Akufo-Addo’s statement.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also paid tribute on Saturday saying he was an ‘outstanding diplomat, outstanding leader and a role model for many people’ in Africa.
Ramaphosa also praised Annan for his role on the Elders, a global organisation set up by the late South African President Nelson Mandela.
‘To hear that he has passed away after a short illness is really sad for us. It’s a great loss. He was an outstanding diplomat, outstanding leader and he was a role model for many people on the continent. He was a diplomat extraordinaire and as Secretary-General of the United Nations, he flew the flag of peace, he flew the flag of collaboration throughout the world as he dealt with very difficult and challenging problems.
‘We were filled with pride to see an African leader dealing with world problems and finding solutions for them, so we dip our heads to him in great memory of him and we will remember him fondly but he had left a legacy, a legacy of peacemaking in the world, a legacy of collaboration and a legacy of building economies particularly on the African continent and we will sorely miss him,’ Ramaphosa said.
Annan’s foundation confirmed his death on Saturday morning, after decades of championing efforts to try to end protracted conflicts in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
The Nobel Peace laureate, who was a Ghanaian national, died at the age of 80 in hospital in Bern, Switzerland.