Peacemaker of the world
Kofi Annan
From Kumasi to the top of the United Nations — and a Nobel Prize for peace.
Born in Kumasi in 1938 into an aristocratic Fante family, Kofi Atta Annan studied at Mfantsipim, then economics in Minnesota and Geneva before joining the World Health Organization in 1962 — beginning a UN career that would span five decades and nearly every corner of the organisation, from peacekeeping to personnel.
Appointed the 7th Secretary-General in 1997 — the first to rise from within the ranks — he reformed UN management, championed human rights and the “responsibility to protect”, confronted the HIV/AIDS crisis with a global fund, and launched the Millennium Development Goals. In 2001 he and the United Nations jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize.
After leaving office in 2006 he founded the Kofi Annan Foundation and served as a global elder-statesman mediator, including the Syria mission in 2012. He died in Bern, Switzerland, in 2018 and was buried in Accra with full honours. Ghana’s main international peacekeeping training centre bears his name.
Key facts
- Born 1938, Kumasi; died 2018, Bern.
- 7th UN Secretary-General, 1997–2006; first career staffer to hold the post.
- Nobel Peace Prize 2001, shared with the United Nations.
- Launched the Millennium Development Goals and the Global Fund fight.
- Founded the Kofi Annan Foundation; buried in Accra with honours.
Put the story in context: explore the History of Ghana to see the eras Kofi Annan helped shape.
Kofi Annan FAQs
What was Kofi Annan famous for?
Serving as UN Secretary-General from 1997 to 2006, reforming the organisation, launching the Millennium Development Goals, and winning the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.
Where was Kofi Annan born?
Kumasi, Ghana, in 1938. He attended Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast before studying abroad.
When did Kofi Annan die?
18 August 2018 in Bern, Switzerland. He was buried in Accra with a state funeral.
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