Ghana today joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 73rd Anniversary of the founding of the UN with a focus on the life and achievements of the late former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Ghana is observing the day on the theme “Legacy of Kofi Annan: An illustrious son of Ghana and Global statesman”. The local theme is to further highlight the achievements and contributions of the late global icon.
Upon attainment of independence in 1957, Ghana was admitted into the United Nations on March 8, 1957 and has since remained a respectable member of the global body, responding to several calls for action especially in the areas of Peacekeeping, Emergency Response, Disaster Coordination and Democratisation processes.
Ghana is also widely acclaimed for providing the UN with some of the finest International Civil Servants notable among them Alex Quayson-Sackey, first black African to preside over the UN General Assembly, Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse; first female Director-General of ILO, Dr. Anarfi Asamoah Baah former Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Diplomat Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas.
The rest are, the late Nana Wereko Ampem, Dr. Sam Jonah, Daasebre Oti Boateng, Prof Alex Kwapong, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Prof. Fred Sai; Robert Gardiner, Kenneth Dadzie, Dr. Leticia Obeng and Lt. Gen. Henry Anyidoho. The late Kofi Annan, became the 7th Secretary-General of the Organisation.
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, described Kofi Annan as a wise leader who embodied the ideals of the UN.
He said “Kofi Annan was the United Nations and the United Nations was him.”
