Annan's legacy in the spotlight

2006-09-29 15:15

United Nations - Kofi Annan, who retires after 10 years as UN Secretary General at the end of the year, leaves a legacy adorned by a Nobel prize, tainted by scandal and marked by touchy ties with the Bush White House.

With his mandate winding down, the Ghanaian, who devoted much of his life to the United Nations, seems firmly back in the driving seat, after a turbulent period in which his personal prestige came under fire.

Following his final United Nations general assembly, Annan's admirers and detractors alike are sizing up his tenure, and the state of the organisation he is leaving behind.

Swan-song

In many ways, Annan's Middle East tour, pushing full implementation of the security council resolution which ended the fierce month-long war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, was a swan-song.

He "finishes his mandate once again in charge and fully engaged in his role," said France's UN ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere.

Oil for food programme scandal

Just three months from retirement, Annan seems to have repaired damage to his personal reputation, inflicted by the kickback scandal discovered at the heart of the UN oil for food programme.

Corruption within the programme, set up to ease the severe humanitarian impact on ordinary Iraqis of sanctions imposed against Saddam Hussein, was seized on with glee by Annan's enemies among conservative US Republicans.

At the time, Annan accepted his share of the blame, acknowledged failures of management diagnosed by the independent commission that investigated the program, but defied calls for his resignation from his political enemies.

Iraq war

Annan was also vilified in the United States over his opposition to the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, which he described as "illegal" because it was not specifically authorised by the UN.

With Annan under heavy pressure, several countries including France orchestrated a public show of support for him by choreographing a standing ovation for him at a meeting of the UN general assembly.

First elected in 1996, Annan, a diplomat from Ghana who had already worked at the UN for 25 years, was easily re-elected for a second term in 2001.

Former US ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke gushed at the time that Annan was without a doubt, the best secretary general in the history of the world body.

Nobel prize

In October 2001, Annan shared the Nobel peace prize with his beloved United Nations.

Diplomats at the time said he was able to bolster a diplomatic crusade, whether it was against Aids or war in Bosnia or Rwanda, simply by the weight of his personality and reputation.

With clouds of controversy now clearing, Annan is again held in high regard. "He is a man of peace, who identifies remarkably well with the ideals of the United Nations," said de la Sabliere.

Millennium Project

Annan is also the man behind the Millennium Project, aimed at combating extreme poverty and disease, which was a key moment in UN history and is corralling huge financial pledges aimed at reducing extreme poverty by 2015.

One of Annan's top political aides, assistant UN secretary general for policy planning Robert Orr, an American, described Annan as the most active secretary general since Dag Hammarskjold, who led the world body from 1953 to 1961.

"He is a historic figure with a number of major successes to his credit," Orr said.

UN 'a dominant actor'

"I think when historians look back on this period in the UN's history, in his stewardship of the organisation, this is a period of dynamic and dramatic growth," he said.

Orr said that Annan had made important progress in expanding peacekeeping activities and humanitarian initiatives mounted by the United Nations.

He had also made the UN "the dominant actor" in observing and supporting democratic elections around the world, Orr said.

Annan has also changed the job of the United Nations secretary general, said Orr, and his push for reform in the world body "makes the case that active leadership by a secretary general can help member states find agreements where initially there may be none."

- AFP