Former U.N. chief and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kofi Annan has died - foundation

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Former U.N. chief and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kofi Annan has died - foundation

 

 

ACCRA (Reuters) - Former United Nations Secretary General and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kofi Annan has died, the Kofi Annan Foundation said on Saturday.

 

Annan, of Ghanaian nationality, died in hospital in Bern, Switzerland, in the early hours of Saturday, two close associates of Annan said.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-08-18

[Grouse]

Sorry to hear that!

[Bluespunk]

A sad loss for us all.

 

A truely great man, who I always had a great deal of respect for. 

 

One of the few modern world leaders, who cared about doing the right thing, because it was right to do so and not because it benefited him. 

 

The world is a poorer place without him. 

Edited August 18, 2018 by Bluespunk

[Scott]

RIP and thank you for your service on many fronts.

 

[balo]

One of the few good people with a great understanding of the world. 

 

Married to a Swede and they settled down in Switzerland for the last 20 years. 

Only 80 years old and active until the last few weeks. 

 

 

 

[Yme]

Good riddance. The man who allowed the Rwanda Genocide to happen while head of UNPKF and introduced rules and regulations on terms of engagement that got PKF personnel killed.

 “The UN and its member states failed #Rwanda in deplorable ways in 1994, ignoring evidence that a genocide was planned, refusing to act once it was under way and finally abandoning the Rwandan people when they most needed protection".

In a statement, Annan acknowledged the systematic failure of the United Nations and expressed his "deep remorse" on behalf of the organization.

I suspect none of the people writing this crap about  what a great guy Kofi Anan was were not around when up to  1 mln people were being hacked death death with machetes & 10 Belgium PKF troops killed while UNAMIR was told to stand & watch. Good riddance.

UN Failed Rwanda

 

 

[Neeranam]

3 minutes ago, Yme said:

Good riddance. The man who allowed the Rwanda Genocide to happen while head of UNPKF and introduced rules and regulations on terms of engagement that got PKF personnel killed.

 “The UN and its member states failed #Rwanda in deplorable ways in 1994, ignoring evidence that a genocide was planned, refusing to act once it was under way and finally abandoning the Rwandan people when they most needed protection".

In a statement, Annan acknowledged the systematic failure of the United Nations and expressed his "deep remorse" on behalf of the organization.

I suspect none of the people writing this crap about  what a great guy Kofi Anan was were not around when up to  1 mln people were being hacked death death with machetes & 10 Belgium PKF troops killed while UNAMIR was told to stand & watch. Good riddance.

UN Failed Rwanda

 

 

I was told never to speak ill of the dead, especially so soon after their death.

[sirineou]

 A very difficult job to balance the politics of all member nations ,get things done and stay on the right side of history, a job he did admirable with grace , style, and dignity. 

The world is a  worst place without him!  RIP

[Aussieroaming]

RIP, you at least participated in attempting to create a better place for humanity.

[Yme]

6 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I was told never to speak ill of the dead, especially so soon after their death.

And I was taught not to speak total crap. The truth is the truth is the truth. Too many people trying to obfuscate history. 

Edited August 19, 2018 by Yme

[Grouse]

18 hours ago, balo said:

One of the few good people with a great understanding of the world. 

 

Married to a Swede and they settled down in Switzerland for the last 20 years. 

Only 80 years old and active until the last few weeks. 

 

 

 

Great choices!

[Grouse]

7 hours ago, Yme said:

Good riddance. The man who allowed the Rwanda Genocide to happen while head of UNPKF and introduced rules and regulations on terms of engagement that got PKF personnel killed.

 “The UN and its member states failed #Rwanda in deplorable ways in 1994, ignoring evidence that a genocide was planned, refusing to act once it was under way and finally abandoning the Rwandan people when they most needed protection".

In a statement, Annan acknowledged the systematic failure of the United Nations and expressed his "deep remorse" on behalf of the organization.

I suspect none of the people writing this crap about  what a great guy Kofi Anan was were not around when up to  1 mln people were being hacked death death with machetes & 10 Belgium PKF troops killed while UNAMIR was told to stand & watch. Good riddance.

UN Failed Rwanda

 

 

Yes, I understand your point and looked into it

 

https://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/58318

 

We need stronger mechanisms to avoid any repeat. I would like to see the UN strengthened. They should relocate to Geneva or Oslo IMO.

 

Sorry for your understandable angst. I still think Annan was fundamentally a good man.

[Yme]

16 hours ago, Grouse said:

Yes, I understand your point and looked into it

 

https://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/58318

 

We need stronger mechanisms to avoid any repeat. I would like to see the UN strengthened. They should relocate to Geneva or Oslo IMO.

 

Sorry for your understandable angst. I still think Annan was fundamentally a good man.

Back then they said never again, and we've seen in Myanmar and Syria, what "never again" really means.

 

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Yme

[Grouse]

1 hour ago, Yme said:

Back then they said never again, and we've seen in Myanmar and Syria, what "never again" really means.

 

 

Sadly, I can't argue your points

 

We need an EU with real teeth and funding. The current system is just ineffective. What about Israel ignoring UN sanctions? There are many examples of UN shortcomings but how to fix?

[wabothai]

no more vetos

[Stargeezr]

RIP Mr. Annin.  Say do you know why so many rich people have Foundations?

  What a wonderful way to write off lots of dollars on your taxes!

[Scott]

1 hour ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

RIP Mr. Annin.  Say do you know why so many rich people have Foundations?

  What a wonderful way to write off lots of dollars on your taxes!

That's true, but once it goes in a foundation, it's gone.   The person starting the foundation has no way to reclaim it.  

[Stargeezr]

I have asked some of the rich Americans and a few have foundations, and other ways of getting some of their taxes taken care of. I guess the USA has many ways to help the rich stay rich or get richer, not just in America either.

[Scott]

5 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

I have asked some of the rich Americans and a few have foundations, and other ways of getting some of their taxes taken care of. I guess the USA has many ways to help the rich stay rich or get richer, not just in America either.

No, once you set up a foundation, the money is basically not yours any longer.   It belongs to the foundation and you can't use it any more than you can get money you give to the Cancer Society back.  

 

Foundations are a type of charity.   The main advantage for many wealthy people is that they can more specifically designate the money to a particular cause.   So, I may not want to fund many of the things the Cancer Society funds, but I may want to designate it for research, for example.  

 

Often family members are on the board of the Foundation, so they have some say, but the money will go to the designated purpose or the foundation will be disbanded.