Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan was Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997
through 2006. He succeeded Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt in the post.
Annan was a U.N. veteran who took his first job with the organization
in 1962 and worked his way up through various posts, including Deputy
Director to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (1980-83) and
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping (1995-96). Annan was the first
Secretary-General chosen from the ranks of the U.N.'s staff. He was
also the first black man to hold the post and the second African (after
Boutros-Ghali). In 2001 Annan and the United Nations were awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize for their ongoing work in global peace and
cooperation. Annan was elected for a second five-year term in 2001, and
served until the end of 2006.
