The Elders

Kofi Annan of Ghana emerged from the ranks of United Nations’ staff to become its seventh Secretary-General, and served from 1997 to 2006.

One of Kofi Annan's main priorities as Secretary-General was a comprehensive programme of reform aimed at revitalising the United Nations and making the international system more effective. He was a constant advocate for human rights, the rule of law, and the Millennium Development Goals in Africa, and sought to bring the organisation closer to the global public by forging ties with civil society, the private sector, and other partners. At his initiative, peacekeeping was strengthened in ways that enabled the United Nations to cope with a rapid rise in the number of operations and personnel. More

See Kofi Annan's speech at the announcement