Full Text of the United Nation’s Tribute to Kofi Annan

To Nane Annan and the Annan Family,  

To Kofi Annan’s larger family, starting with
you, President Akufo-Addo and the people of his beloved Ghana, and extending to
every corner of the globe, 

To the many members of the United Nations
community who grieve the passing of one of our own.

Since the shock of Kofi’s death, I have been
reflecting on what made him so special.

To my mind, it is simply this:   

Kofi Annan was both one-of-a-kind and one of
us. 

He was an exceptional global leader — and he
was also someone virtually anyone in the world could see themselves in: those
on the far reaches of poverty, conflict and despair who found in him an ally;
the junior UN staffer following in his footsteps; the young person to whom he
said until his dying breath “always remember, you are never too young to lead —
and we are never too old to learn.”

Like few in our time, Kofi Annan could bring
people together, put them at ease, and unite them towards a common goal for our
common humanity. 

There is an old joke: The art of diplomacy is
to say nothing … especially when you are speaking! 

Kofi Annan could say everything, sometimes
without uttering a word. 

It came from the dignity and the moral
conviction and the humanity that was so deep in him.

He had that gentle voice, that lilt that made
people smile and think of music.  But his
words were tough and wise.  And sometimes
the graver a situation, the lower that voice would get. 

We would lean in to listen.  And the world would lean in.  And we were rewarded by his wisdom.

Kofi Annan was courageous, speaking truth to
power while subjecting himself to intense self-scrutiny.

And like his predecessor Dag Hammarskjold, he
had an almost mystical sense of the role of the United Nations as a force for
good in a world of ills.

All of this added up to a remarkable record of
achievement.

He pioneered new ideas and initiatives,
including the Millennium Development Goals and the landmark reforms in his
report, “In Larger Freedom”. 

He opened the doors of the United Nations,
bringing the Organization closer to the world’s people and engaging new
partners in protecting the environment, defending human rights and combating
HIV/AIDS and other killer diseases. 

Kofi Annan was the United Nations and the
United Nations was him.

Dear Friends,

Kofi Annan was also my good friend.

We marched through life together in many ways.

When the people of Timor-Leste were seeking
self-determination, we worked together — he from the United Nations, and I
from Portugal — to support the peaceful resolution of their plight.

When the UN Refugee Agency needed new
leadership, Kofi blessed me with his trust in asking me to fill that role – and
then provided unwavering support to protect and shelter the most vulnerable of
the vulnerable. 

Now that I occupy the office Kofi once held, I
am continually inspired by his integrity, dynamism and dedication.

To him, indifference was the world’s worst
poison.

Even after finishing his term as
Secretary-General, he never stopped battling on the front-lines of
diplomacy. 

He helped to ease post-election tensions in
Kenya, gave his all to find a political solution to the brutal war in Syria and
set out a path for ensuring justice and rights for the Rohingya people of
Myanmar.

Kofi straddled many worlds, North and South,
East and West.

But he found his surest anchor in his African
roots and identity.

The great Nelson Mandela, accustomed to being
called Madiba, had his own nickname for Kofi, and called him “my leader”.

This was no jest.  Kofi was our leader, too.

When I last saw him not long ago at the UN,
his bearing was how I will always remember him: calm yet determined, ready to
laugh but always filled with the gravity of the work we do.

He is gone now and we will miss him
immensely. 

But I am sure of this — if we continue to lean
in and listen hard, we will still hear the words and wise counsel of Kofi Annan.

“Please carry on,” I hear him saying.

“You know what to do: Take care of each
other.  Take care of our planet.  Recognize the humanity in all people.  And support the United Nations — the place
where we can all come together to solve problems and build a better future for
all”. 

Dear Friends,

Let us continue to heed that voice of grace
and reason – that voice of morality and solidarity. 

Our world needs it now more than ever.

As we face the headwinds of our troubled and
turbulent times, let us always be inspired by the legacy of Kofi Annan — and
guided by the knowledge that he will continue speaking to us, urging us on
towards the goals to which he dedicated his life and truly moved our world.

Thank you.

GNA 

قالب وردپرس