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Kofi Annan

Kofi Annan Quotes

Diplomat

Kofi Annan, born on April 8, 1938, is an accomplished diplomat. He served in various significant roles at the United Nations, culminating in his tenure as the seventh Secretary-General. Known for his contributions to peace and security, Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

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Famous Kofi Annan Quotes

“Asked whether donor nations may be becoming fatigued ... The fatigue may be there, but I don't think we can justify it in the face of such misery. We may need to wake up our conscience and our conscience must force us to act.”

Thinking Needs May Faces Force Nations Becoming Conscience Wake Up Misery Justify Fatigue Donors

Author:Kofi Annan

“If we do not get a universal acceptance of the constitution the likelihood of the violence continuing is there. If it had been an inclusive exercise -- as when everybody had embraced the constitution and everyone saw his interest protected by the constitution -- I think it would have been a rallying exercise. We are not there at this stage”

Ifs Thinking Has Beens Interest Saws Violence Stage Acceptance Exercise Universal Constitution Protected Continuing Likelihood Rallying

Author:Kofi Annan

“Drugs have destroyed many lives, but wrongheaded governmental policies have destroyed many more. I think it's obvious that after 40 years of war on drugs, it has not worked. There should be decriminalization of drugs.”

Thinking Should Years War Policy Drug Obvious Destroyed War On Drugs

Author:Kofi Annan

“I think that peacekeeping can do quite a lot, if they are given the right mandate with the commensurate resources to get the job done.”

Ifs Thinking Done Jobs Given Can Do Resources Mandates Get The Job Done Peacekeeping

Author:Kofi Annan

“If we can come up with innovations and train young people to take on new jobs, and if we can switch to clean energy, I think we have the capacity to build this world not dependent on fossil-fuel. I think it will happen, and it won't destroy economy.”

People Ifs Thinking World Happens Jobs Young Energy Economy This World Capacity Innovation Train Clean Come Up Fuel Dependent Fossils Fossil Fuel New Job Clean Energy

Author:Kofi Annan

“I think the world has moved on.”

Thinking World Moved Moved On

Author:Kofi Annan

“It is extreme arrogance for one to think he...and it's usually he, is the only one who can govern his country and nobody else can do it.”

Thinking Country Can Do Extremes Arrogance

Author:Kofi Annan

“I think the US and UK thought if they gave a bit more time to Israel, they would crush Hezbollah. But it became very obvious that was an unwinnable war.”

Ifs Thinking War Bits Obvious Israel Crush More Time Hezbollah

Author:Kofi Annan

“I think the generational change is going to be so important for Africa that we really should encourage and push it as much as we can, because some of these younger men and women, who are men and women of their times, and are also connected to the rest of the world, wouldn't even know how to behave in the way some of the old leaders do.”

Thinking Knows Men World Way Should Important Leader Know How Men And Women Connected Behave

Author:Kofi Annan

“I can't think of a 30- or 40-year-old who can behave like Mugabe. They wouldn't even know where to begin, and given their own educational exposure, I think it will be very positive for Africa.”

Thinking Knows Years I Can Given Educational Behave Exposure Very Positive Mugabe

Author:Kofi Annan

“I think we can make a difference in the lives of the poor, and the millions.”

Thinking Differences Poor Millions Making A Difference

Author:Kofi Annan

“I think over time you learn to know a bit more about yourself - you develop a certain amount of self-insight and self-awareness, and you know what you can absorb, and what you cannot; what gets to you and what doesn't.”

Thinking Knows Self Certain Bits Awareness Amount Self Awareness Insight About Yourself

Author:Kofi Annan

“I think what gives me hope is I have the sense that the people of Kenya have turned the page. They are keen to get a new political dispensation. They are keen to fight corruption and impunity, and in that sense they are leaving the political elite behind.”

People Thinking Giving Political Fighting Behinds Pages Give Me Leaving Corruption Elites Kenya Impunity

Author:Kofi Annan

“Professional accountants should use that influence to encourage the companies they serve to think long term and integrate sustainable development goals into their accounting, such as by including a natural capital account, which I have heard is gaining ground.”

Thinking Should Long Use Goal Term Natural Company Heard Influence Development Accounts Including Long Term Accounting Integrating Sustainable Development Accountants

Author:Kofi Annan

“I think that in the West, many citizens, especially younger citizens, take their freedoms and institutions for granted and focus on their frustrations with their governments' inability to solve pressing problems.”

Thinking Problem Government Focus Citizens Institutions West Solve Granted Frustration Inability

Author:Kofi Annan

“I think that these flows of refugee are the inevitable counterparts to the flow of capital and goods. In other words, they too are by-products of globalisation.”

Thinking Products Flow Inevitable Goods Refugee Counterparts Globalisation

Author:Kofi Annan

“It is extreme arrogance for one to think he is the only one who can govern his country and nobody else can do it. We're all human. After 10, 15 years you get tired, you run out of steam and ideas, you have to give a chance to somebody else. And whether you yourself are inclined to stay on, all those around you are pushing you to stay on for what they will gain. One has to have the strength of character to say the time has come to move on...unless you are a king.”

Thinking Giving Years Humans Ideas Country Character Running Moving Can Do Chance Kings Gains Tired Extremes Arrogance Pushing Steam Strength Of Character

Author:Kofi Annan

“If our hopes of building a better and safer world are to become more than wishful thinking, we will need the engagement of volunteers more than ever.”

Ifs Thinking World Needs Helping Wish Building Helping Others Engagement Volunteer Wishful Thinking Volunteerism

Author:Kofi Annan

“The main point in our report was to recommend decriminalization...because of the way laws are applied, which have not worked. We have applied them for decades and it's got the prisons filled with lots of young people who sometimes come out destroyed for having half an ounce... We should approach it through education and health issues rather than a brutal reaction... There is need for change in policy, but it has to start with debate and discussion... I think the whole approach has to be reviewed.”

“As I travel around the world, people think the only place where there is potential conflict [over] water is the Middle East, but they are completely wrong. We have the problem all over the world.”

People Thinking World Problem Water Middle Conflict Environmental East Around The World Middle East World Water Day

Author:Kofi Annan

“If there is one area where equity is crucial and essential, I think it should be the issue of water.”

Ifs Thinking Should Water Issues Essentials Areas Climate Change Crucial Equity

Author:Kofi Annan

“We need to think of the future and the planet we are going to leave to our children and their children.”

Thinking Needs Children Planets Our Children

Author:Kofi Annan

About the Author

Born: April 8, 1938
Known for: Diplomat
Quotes: 336

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World People Humans Ifs Development Nations Needs Country Rights Security Human Rights Thinking International Poverty States United United Nations War Wells Should

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Books & Sources

The quotable Kofi Annan: selections from speeches and statements by the Secretary-GeneralRelated source material

We the Peoples: A UN for the Twenty-First CenturyRelated source material

Wir die VölkerRelated source material

Interventions: A Life in War and PeaceRelated source material

The question of intervention: statements by the Secretary-GeneralRelated source material

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