Remarks by Mr. Alan Doss, President, Kofi Annan Foundation, on the occasion of the African Women’s Forum
October 26, 2018
I am honoured to be with you today for this tribute to Kofi Annan. On behalf
of his wife, Nane, and the Kofi Annan Foundation, I would like to thank the
Crans Montana Forum for awarding the prestigious Prix de la Fondation
posthumously to Kofi Annan. Mrs. Annan, who cannot be with us today, has asked
me to express her deep gratitude for this gracious act honouring the legacy of
her late husband.
In the course of his remarkable life and career, Kofi Annan, as Secretary General
of the United Nations, Nobel peace laureate and later as Chairman of the Kofi
Annan Foundation energetically pursued his vision for a fairer, more peaceful
world. “Healthy societies”, he would say, “are built on peace, inclusive
development, and human rights.” But he recognised that women must play a
central and critical role in building healthy societies. Allow me to quote him
again: “When women thrive, all of society benefits, and succeeding generations
are given a better start in life”.
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal on gender equality is thus not
only deeply valuable in its own right but one of the best means of securing
progress on all the other SDGs. That is why the Women’s Forum provides such an
apt venue to honour Kofi Annan. He recognised clearly the link between gender
equality and peace and sustainable development, particularly for Africa, for
which he naturally felt a personal responsibility. He would be especially
pleased that the theme of the Forum is the role of women in agriculture.
Kofi Annan was convinced that the development of African agriculture, and
securing food security, was the best way to address poverty and spur growth in
Africa. Here too he argued that empowering and aiding women farmers is one of
the best ways to end poverty on the continent. For Kofi Annan, the struggle for
gender equality and the eradication of hunger were vital complementary steps on
the road to creating a better world.
Now that he is no longer among us, it is up to all of us to ensure that Kofi
Annan’s ideals live on. Such was his wish and such is our mission at the Kofi
Annan Foundation. This award will serve as a powerful reminder of Kofi Annan’s
quiet wisdom, the depth of his compassion, and the clarity of his vision. As we
look to the future, we should draw inspiration from his life and continue his
tireless quest for a fairer, more peaceful world.
Thank you.
Alan Doss
President, Kofi Annan Foundation
