'KOFI ANNAN WAS A STUBBORN OPTIMIST'-RETIRED DIPLOMAT

The Chief of Staff of the Panel of Eminent African Personalities Chaired by the late Kofi Annan to resolve Kenya’s post-election conflict, Nana Effah Apenteng, has described the late former Secretary General of the United Nations as a stubborn optimist who hardly gave up on issues even when he was under threat and stress.

 To Nana Effah Apenteng, who is also the Paramount Chief of Bompata in the Ashanti region, Kenyans owe the late Kofi Annan a great deal of gratitude for the prevailing peace and stability for helping to develop what he called a progressive Constitution for that country. 

Speaking to Ashanti Today at his private residence at Bompata in the Asante Akyem South Municipality, Nana Effah Apenteng, who also served as Ghana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations office in New York from the year 2000 to 2007, noted that, through the determination and commitment of the Kofi Annan, the Panel of African Eminent Personalities helped to develop sustainable political structure for Kenya. 

He disclosed that, at certain stages of the conflict mediation after Kenya’s disputed polls in 2007, Chairman of the Panel became a target for threat by some impatient and disgruntled members of the disputing parties such that he was threatened with violent attack. 

However, the Late Kofi Annan remained cool and firm in his beliefs parrying some of the threats with humour culminating in a successful mediation of the conflict within 42 days while implementation of the Resolution which became known as Agenda Four lasted six years. 

Touching on the legacies of Mr. Kofi Annan during his tenure as the Secretary General of the UN, Nana Effah Apenteng mentioned the Millennium Development Goals, the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa for the reduction of hunger on the African continent as well as some changes to the administrative structures of the organization as some of the achievements the world would miss him for. 

The late Kofi Annan was also greatly 'concerned about the welfare of the vulnerable in society, human rights, peace-loving and also exuded positive traits of a good leader.' 

Nana Effah Apenteng said however, that the late former UN Secretary General was unable to accomplish his goal of causing a reform of the UN Security Council by getting permanent representation of particularly Africa and Latten America on that Council as a result of 'power play within the African block, Latten America and also the Permanent Five members.' Ghana, Nana Effah Apenteng noted that Ghana also benefited from the rise of her son to the apex of global diplomacy and politics who also exhibited the cherished time-tested Ghanaian virtues.