Sierra Leone Telegraph: 19 August 2018:
The African Development Bank (ADB) yesterday learned with deep sadness, the news of the death of Kofi A. Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations and Noble Peace Prize Laureate, at the age of 80 in Bern, Switzerland.
“With Mr. Kofi Annan’s passing, Africa and the entire world has lost its finest diplomat, champion of world peace and development advocate, leaving a void which will be hard to fill,” President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina said.
“Today, the international community is mourning a man of great humility and righteousness; a formidable architect behind critical peace brokering agreements around the world. His leadership on spearheading the Millennium Development Goals, made poverty eradication an achievable global imperative. He touched the lives of everyone he met with his dignity and quiet resolve. We stand with his dear wife, Nane, family and friends at this time and express our heartfelt condolences,” said Adesina.
For the African Development Bank, Mr. Kofi Annan held a special place on several of the Bank’s initiatives. He was a staunch advocate of the Bank’s ‘New Deal on Energy for Africa’, a partnership-driven effort which aims to achieve universal access to energy in Africa by 2025.
He was appointed as the “Champion” of the New Deal on Energy for Africa. In 2016, Mr Annan co-chaired the Special Panel on Accelerating the Implementation of the African Development Bank’s Ten Year Strategy, launched by President Adesina.
He spearheaded several initiatives on Africa, including his chairmanship of the Africa Progress Panel and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
In April 2001, in Abuja, Nigeria, at a summit of African leaders, Mr. Kofi Annan made the first explicit public call for a new funding mechanism, proposing the creation of The Global Fund, to be dedicated to the battle against HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. He made the first contribution to the Global Fund in 2001.
Kofi Annan was Africa’s global icon. He will be greatly missed.
Eulogizing the passing of Kofi A. Annan, the President of the African Development Bank – Akinwumi Adesina said:
“It is with much sadness that I learnt today of the death of Mr. Kofi A. Annan, the former Secretary General of the United Nations.
“He was a great personal mentor and father to me. His simplicity, decency, uncommon humility, selflessness and compassion made him a gem for humanity. A distinguished gentleman. He was a global icon and a man of peace who stood firmly in support of good governance and accountability for leaders.
“He was my boss as Chairman of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), when I was the Vice President for AGRA. He had an infectious passion for ending hunger and poverty in Africa. He greatly supported me when I was Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria, when he served as a member of the Eminent Persons Group that helped to support the transformation of agriculture in Nigeria.
“He energetically co-Chaired the High-level Panel of global leaders to support the African Development Bank in its efforts to accelerate Africa’s development. As U.N. Secretary General and throughout a distinguished career, Mr. Annan made Africa stand tall globally. Africa has lost a great gem.
“I will greatly miss him and his rich words of wisdom. May his soul rest in peace.”
Indeed, Africa has lost the most distinguished United Nations member. His work had made the world assured place where poverty is being eradicated. We all mourn his loss and pray to God to guide him in his life after. Thanks very much for your hard work. We will always remember you as you are kept in our hearts.
His role on this earthly stage is over. May he rest in perfect peace.