ANNAN, KOFI

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06813854
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 12, 2020
• Case Number: F-2018-02369
• Publication Date: August 19, 2005

Approved for Release: 2020/07/29 C06813854
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This profile does not reflect developments since 19 August 2005.
Kofi Atta ANNAN
(Phonetic: AN-en)
UN Secretary General (since 1997)
Addressed as: Mr. Secretary General
Kofi Annan has embarked on an ambitious reform
campaign in 2005 to mollify critics and to improve
the UN's performance after a tumultuous year of
accusations of mismanagement and corruption.
Despite Annan's negative publicity in 2004 and
2005, he still seems to enjoy support from most UN
member states, judging by press reports. At the
2001 UN General Assembly, Annan easily won a
second five-year term and that same year won the
Nobel peace prize for being "preeminent in bringing
new life to the organization." He has served in the
UN for more than 40 years, virtually all of his
working life, and is the first secretary general elected
from within the UN staff.
Annan's "Annus Horribilis"
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Annan marked 2004 as "annus horribilis"
(horrible year) for himself and the UN, which
brought heavy criticism over mismanagement of the
Iraq Oil-for-Food (OFF) Program and allegations of
sexual misconduct against UN peacekeepers in
Africa. He also faced calls for his resignation during
this period.
Building His Legacy
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Annan probably is most motivated to engage
intensively on UN reform out of a desire to ensure a
lasting legacy after his second term ends in
December 2006.
In January 2005, Annan
responded to criticism of his management
Seekin
GHANA
Good Relations With Washington
Annan considers the United States the
cornerstone of the UN and recognizes that he
cannot afford bad relations with Washington,
is mindful
to balance equities between Washington and
other member states.
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practices by initiating high-level discussions within
the UN Secretariat to address management
transparency and accountability, according to press
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Annan also is motivated by his desire to
implement his vision for the UN in the 21st century,
which he highlighted in his 2001 Nobel acceptance
speech. Recognizing the current importance of the
UN in international affairs, Annan probably wants
the organization to retain its prominence while
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becoming more effective in the future. To this end
Annan has met with numerous foreign leaders to
push his reform goals since he presented his plan to
the UN General Assembly in March 2005. In
particular, Annan is seeking to expand the UN
Security Council, reform the UN Human Rights
Commission, and create a UN Peacebuilding
Commission.
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Dealing With Annan
Annan is an open and attentive interlocutor who
stands up for what he believes and is no pushover,
a facilitator who uses exquisite tact and courteous
formality with foreign leaders.
Annan says he
tackles negotiations with concentration,
attentiveness, and creativity, according to a press
interview. Straightforward approaches work well
with Annan but he does
not respond well to relentless questionin b US,,
officials, according to press reports. (b)(3)
Fiercely protective of the UN's�and his own�
reputation, Annan has occasionally blamed UN
member states, including countries on the Security
Council, for UN shortcomings, according to press
reports In the cases of the
peacekeeping disasters in Rwanda (1994) and
Srebrenica (1995) while he was Under Secretary
General for Peacekeeping, Annan chided Security
Council members for giving peacekeeping forces
ambitious mandates without equivlent
authorizations for the use of force.
Career and Personal Data
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Annan was born on 8 April 1938 near Kumasi in
southern Ghana. As a child, he attended Ghana's
oldest and most prystigious boarding school, where
he won acclaim asa track-and-field star. Annan
earned a degree in economics from Macalester
College in Minnesota in 1961. He attended the
-Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva
in 1962.
Annan began his UN career at the WHO in 1962
as an administrative and budget officer. He left the
UN in 1971 to earn a master's degree in
management at MIT. He returned to Ghana in 1974
but rejoined the UN in 1976, holding a series of
positions of increasing responsibility, including
assistant secretary general for human resources
management as well as security coordinator for the
UN system (1987-90); assistant secretary general for
program planning, budget and finance, and
controller (1990-92); assistant secretary general for
peacekeeping operations (1992-93); and Under
Secreta for Peacekeeping Operations (1993-97).
Annan enjoys hiking and dancing, according to
press reports. He travels almost a third of every
year. Annan has a daughter, Ama, and a son, Kojp,
from his first marriage. In 1984, Annan married his
second wife, Nane Lagergren, a lawyer and artist.
He speaks excellent English and French as well as
Fseveral_Al
frican languages, including Twi and Fante.
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