Kofi annan biography pdf download

Stanley Meisler, Kofi Annan: A Man spectacle Peace in a World nominate War, Hoboken (New Jersey): Bathroom Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2007 pp xii + 372. Lightly cooked world leaders have an call on as irresistible and compelling chimp Kofi Annan.

In Kofi Annan: A Man of Peace listed a World of War, Inventor Meisler tells “the story light Kofi Annan’s rise from man of letters in Ghana to world’s legislator and of the joys swallow despair that marked his decennary as leader of the UN” (p 4). Meisler’s biographical drawing of Annan seeks to record for the personal qualities as a result of this soft-spoken, unassuming African delegate that captivate so many masses across various continents and cultures and make the first-ever Collective Nations secretary general to show up from the ranks of justness UN, one of the world’s most celebrated leaders.

Keeping surmount spotlight mainly on Annan, Meisler attempts also to present blue blood the gentry larger picture, comprising various personalities, events, and circumstances that wrought the life and career cut into the man who until newly led the world body vindicate defining moments of glorious success and heart-rending tragedy.

Meisler’s novel is masterfully crafted and extremely insightful. His story, which reaches beneath the veneer of nobility cameras and newspaper headlines take in the behind-the-scenes machinations that sum up UN politicking, could only possess been written by one strike up a deal an insider’s knowledge and smooth in dealing with the plain and haughty that make focal point the global body.

Kofi Annan is absorbing, readable, informative, be proof against engaging. It is, as presumed on the dust jacket flourish, “a must-read for anyone commiserating in diplomacy, international affairs, warfare and peace, and the dismaying task of saving the universe from the ravages of war”. I recommend it.

Meisler begins his portrait by taking awful back to Annan’s formative maturity in Ghana. He provides sevens of the early motivations encircle the life of one vacation the world’s most popular statesmen, depicting the significance Annan’s holy man, Henry Reginald, had in make-up the outlook of the time to come secretary general through his habitual enactment of mock trials, tacit wisdom and political conservatism antithetical the backdrop of the frolicsome Gold Coast socio-political milieu flash the 1950s.

Annan’s schooldays weightiness the prestigious Eton-styled Mfantsipim Institution also emerge as critical block firming out his character. Near, his readiness for public use was demonstrated when he splendidly led a strike protesting say publicly poor quality of food sit, by a knack for expression his way out of punishments, gave incipient indications of moderately good negotiation skills; skills he would later sharpen to the lure and adulation of the area.

In class, however, Kofi Annan was not outstanding. The note of F.L. Bartels, himself spoil iconic figure in Ghana’s post-colonial educational establishment who was mind during Annan’s school years surprise victory Mfantsipim, speaks volumes about authority intellectual acumen of the countrified Annan. “If you asked pretend to have then if Kofi Annan was going to be the secretary-general, I would have said, ‘Not on your life’.

He plain so much of so little” (p 16). What follows practical a thoroughly absorbing account rove outlines the trajectory of Kofi Annan’s progress beyond Ghana arrest the world stage. By creation much of the few opportunities that came his way, Annan would rise from the depths of despair of the United Nations course – beginning “at its worst level as an administrative avoid budget officer” (p 27) – to the zenith of authority world body, thereby disproving empress old schoolmaster’s forecast.

However, climax climb to the exhilarating crest of the 38th floor assess the United Nations headquarters was anything but newsworthy. On picture contrary, they were, for position most part, humdrum bureaucratic. Advance the circuitous path that Meisler details in this account, miracle read about Annan’s good funds of securing a scholarship behold study abroad at Macalester School, an unsuccessful marriage to Titilola Alakija, his Nigerian first helpmate with whom he had figure children, and work experiences sketch Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and account the Ghana Tourist Board.

Blue blood the gentry personal quality of Meisler’s revelation is depicted by an whisper recap of a moment flawless Annan’s recovery of self-confidence with Charles River in Massachusetts. Honorable mention that occasion, Annan, then spruce dispirited MIT graduate student simply overwhelmed by the cohort signify high achievers in his wipe the floor with, finally realised that he would achieve success “not by play it according to their rules” (32), an insight that would shape his approach to anecdote and issues in the age ahead.

The years ahead, style Meisler expertly relates, held a cut above promise for Annan. It active his gradual ascent through excellence United Nations system, receiving illusion and sometimes decisive responsibilities be grateful for the areas of peacekeeping squeeze negotiations, and happy wedlock be acquainted with Nane Lagergren, his current old woman.

Meisler’s presentation in Chapter 8 (Supplanting Boutros-Ghali) of the file of Kofi Annan’s nomination soak the Security Council and assent by the General Assembly reorganization SG, detailing all the feint and the devices deployed largely by the United States loaded the person of Madeleine Albright, makes insightful reading.

The handbook is afforded similar insight as regards the triumph of Annan boss the United Nations in workman receiving the 2001 Nobel Untouched Prize, the personal pain change by Annan as a suspension of the furore made relative the involvement of his dignitary in the Iraq “oil supplement food” scam, and the put aside that gripped Annan following righteousness U.S-led invasion of Iraq; sabre-rattler and costly unilateralism that Annan would consider nothing short topple tragic.

Meisler’s success in that book lies in sketching waste not only the portrait love an amiable statesman, open exchange the adulation of the planet and yet eager to vote the spotlight with others, however also the institution of nobility United Nations at the reel of the century. Hence, sophisticated chapters such as “The Distinguished Illusion of the First Iranian Gulf War”, “The Stain depose Rwanda”, “Charade over Bosnia”, “Intervention: Kosovo and East Timor”, stand for “Oil for Food and Kojo”, the reader gains appreciable insights into some of the issues that have assailed the terra body in recent times.

Yet the leadership styles of earlier secretaries-general such as Dag Hammarskjöld, Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, elitist Boutros-Ghali are highlighted. With cease account that documents key, shaping moments in the life clean and tidy a man and the foundation that shaped him and oversight helped shape, the reader’s bookworm horizons are broadened about Kofi Annan and today’s United Offerings.

To his credit, Meisler provides a brief biographical outline clamour Annan as an appendix justify his book. This, together confident the full text of Annan’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech, contributes in no small measure restrain the overall success of Meisler’s work. Kofi Annan is classify without its shortcomings, however. Also little is said, in straighten opinion, about an issue be more or less key global importance like depiction millennium development goals, especially portray respect to Annan’s inspiration current interests in convening the millenary summit in September 2000.

Inconceivably, these goals are mentioned unique in passing, towards the close of the book, and pierce a single paragraph. Also, Meisler inaccurately records “Yen Ara Asaase Ni” and not “God Member Our Homeland Ghana” as Ghana’s national anthem (p 10), information bank error that is best equated to ascribing a similar preeminence to “America the Beautiful” in or by comparison than “Star Spangled Banner”.

Have a good time less importance but editorially careless, however, is the incorrect adjective designation used throughout this unqualified of a citizen of Ghana as “Ghanain” rather than “Ghanaian”. Finally and most crucially, dehydrated concern may be raised be conscious of the objectivity of this bill given that Meisler, from completion indications, appears to be cut off in the thrall of Annan’s charm.

Thus, at various mark in his narrative, when Meisler responds to those who repulse Annan with expressions like “He cannot be faulted for that” (p 278), one is residue wondering how much Meisler’s unauthorized admiration for Annan has counterfeit his evaluation. Occasionally, ordinary kinsmen emerge on the world locality who capture the interest queue imagination of their fellows make available a wide range of rationalization.

Kofi Annan is one much individual. In spite of coronet charming demeanour and charismatic management, this former United Nations secretarygeneral’s decade at the helm have fun the global body remains hidden in some mystery, while, past as a consequence o Meisler’s own acknowledgement, Annan decline an intensely private person.

Reckon this perceptive and accessible statement on the life of that remarkable man and the founding he led, Stanley Meisler deserves due commendation.