United Nations appoints Kofi Annan as secretary

Updated: 11 Dec 2020

A Ghanaian citizen, Kofi Annan, was appointed as secretary-general of the United Nations (UN) to replace the outgoing Boutros Boutros Ghali, whose term of office had expired. He assumed his duties on 1 January 1997. After accepting office, Annan, speaking as secretary-general elect, said that the United Nations, along with the rest of the world, would have to change. He urged all member states to welcome change, not resist it. He further said that with the cooperation of all the nations of the world, it would be possible to make the Organisation leaner and more effective, while allowing it to set more realistic goals. After ten years in office, Annan will be succeeded by South Korea's Ban Ki-moon on 1 January 2007.

How we know this

01BBC News,"Annan chides US in final speech",From: BBC News,[Online],Available at: news.bbc.co.uk,[Accessed : 25 November 2013]
02ScienceBlog,"GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPOINTS KOFI ANNAN OF GHANA AS SEVENTH SECRETARY-GENERAL",From: ScienceBlog,[Online],Available at: scienceblog.com,[Accessed : 25 November 2013]

Last updated · 11 Dec 2020

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). United Nations appoints Kofi Annan as secretary. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013304

South African History Online (2011) 'United Nations appoints Kofi Annan as secretary', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013304 (Accessed: 7 October 2026).

South African History Online, United Nations appoints Kofi Annan as secretary [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013304, (accessed 7 October 2026).

"United Nations appoints Kofi Annan as secretary." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013304. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "United Nations appoints Kofi Annan as secretary." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013304.