Kofi Annan (Ghana) Term of Office: 1997-2006
Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, served from 1997 to 2006 and was the first to emerge from the ranks of United Nations staff.
One of Mr. Annan's main priorities as Secretary-General was a comprehensive program of reform aimed at revitalizing the United Nations and making the international system more effective. He was a constant advocate for human rights, the rule of law, the Millennium Development Goals, and Africa, and sought to bring the Organization closer to the global public by forging ties with civil society, the private sector, and other partners.
Mr. Annan was born in Kumasi, Ghana, on 8 April 1938, and was fluent in English, French, and several African languages. He died on 18 August 2018, in Bern, Switzerland, at the age of 80.