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Quote by Kofi Annan

“Usually, when you look around the world, people are killing each other, fighting over scarce resources.”

Quote by Kofi Annan

Author

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. more

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“The other thing that really I regretted not being able to do was to push effectively for the reform of the Security Council. Because the world was changing, and is changing very fast, and I felt the UN was holding on to old arrangements. Most governments felt that it has such a narrow power base, based on the results of the second world war.”

World War Government Able Felt Results Security Reform War Of The Worlds Arrangements Council Holding On Second World War Security Council

Author:Kofi Annan

“How can you have a world of today where India is not represented in the Security Council; Japan, the second contributor, is not there; the whole continent of Africa, soon to be 54 countries, don't have a single permanent seat; and Latin America is absent? It's not realistic.”

World Country Whole Today America Security India Permanent Seats Japan Latin Realistic Continents Council Absent Latin America Contributors Security Council

Author:Kofi Annan

“I've been around enough to realise that there are two things that once people have them, they don't want to give up, and it's extremely difficult to convince them to give up: one is privileges, and the other is subsidies.”

People Want Giving Two Enough Difficult Giving Up Privilege Two Things Convince Realising Subsidies

Author:Kofi Annan

“We often hear a lot about subsidies, because it's often the powerful talking about the poor; the poor don't have enough voice to question the privileges.”

Enough Voice Poor Powerful Talking Privilege Subsidies

Author:Kofi Annan

“We have seen recently, almost every major head of state goes to India and says, we believe India should be in the Council. They go back home and do nothing about it. But this cannot be sustained for long. If they want to keep the UN as a global forum where they discuss incidents and take some meaningful decisions, they should [reform].”

Ifs Want Should Believe Long States Home Decision Majors India Meaningful Reform Council Incidents Back Home Forums Head Of State

Author:Kofi Annan

“When you have difficult issues on the table for discussion, then sometimes for Africa you may have Burundi or Gambia representing them on the Security Council; and then for Latin America you may have a country like Costa Rica, which is a wonderful country but they don't have the same weight as others from the other regions. And sometimes they get bullied. Sometimes their capitals come under lots of pressure to take a position.”

“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

“You need younger men in Africa, men and women in African politics.”

Men Needs Men And Women

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