Conclusion

Abstract

Abstract During Annan’s ten years as Secretary-General, he metamorphosed from an international civil servant little known beyond the confines of UN diplomatic circles into a global leader and internationalist icon. He combined a realistic humility about the UN’s purposes with bold and visionary leadership, thereby maximizing the organization’s potential where it had a special role to play. His vision reflected his strong personal commitment to the principles and objectives of the UN. His leadership should remind us that realism about the UN’s deficiencies does not entail fatalism about the opportunities it presents. At a time of American hegemony, it was necessarily one of Annan’s priorities to maintain a working relationship with the US. But he had to work with the US while not alienating the other members of the UN. A committed internationalist, Annan believed that no country could achieve its objectives on its own and global problems needed multilateral solutions. The Secretary-General who ushered the UN into the twenty-first century, Kofi Annan encouraged the world to forge a collective response to the many interconnected global challenges of the new millennium. He played a decisive role in renewing and adapting the UN to the realities of a changing world.