Former President Michel remembers ‘one of the greatest statesmen of our time’ |20 August 2018

“It is with deep sadness that I have learnt of the death of Kofi Annan, former secretary general of the United Nations,” former President James A. Michel has said in a statement released yesterday.

Mr Annan died on Saturday at the age of 80 in a hospital in the Swiss city of Bern.

In his eulogy, former President Michel writes:

“Kofi Annan was the epitome of statesmanship and diplomacy, a builder of peace and a peacemaker. He was a towering force for the triumph of good over evil, with unceasing grace, elegance and steadfast determination.

“I am fortunate to have met Kofi Annan on several occasions and what struck me most about him was the strength and power of his convictions behind his outward demeanour of self-effacement, humbleness and calmness. 

“A man of deep-rooted convictions, Kofi Annan was never afraid of speaking his mind, regardless of his audience, of striving for justice and human rights in a divided and unequal world. He was an ardent advocate of the primacy of international law, of Third World causes and of small island states.

“He lived by his credo of ‘right is might’ and, ever faithful to it, he built bridges to make the world a safer, more peaceful and more just place for all of humanity. This will be his lasting legacy, which should be a source of inspiration for all leaders. Dignified in life as in death, Kofi Annan will be remembered and celebrated as one of the greatest statesman of our time and a foremost son of Africa.”