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Abigail Mawonde Herald Correspondent
President Mnangagwa has sent his condolences to Ghana following the death on Saturday of former United Nations secretary-general Mr Kofi Annan, who hailed from the West African country.
In a letter to the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, yesterday, President Mnangagwa expressed sadness over Mr Annan’s untimely death.
“Your Excellency and Dear Brother, I learnt with profound grief, shock and sadness of the passing on of Mr Kofi Annan on the 18th of August 2018,” he said.
“On behalf of the Government and People of the Republic of Zimbabwe and my own behalf, I wish to express my deep and sincere condolences to Mrs Kofi Annan, the entire family, the Government and people of the Republic of Ghana and the entire global community over this very sad and untimely loss.”
President Mnangagwa described Mr Annan as “a distinguished son of Africa”.
“Mr Kofi Annan, a distinguished son of Africa, excelled in his diplomatic career spanning over 50 years, and most importantly as the highly respected Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006,” he said.
“During that epoch, he was instrumental to the strengthening of multilateralism in tackling global challenges, particularly in the areas of peace, security and development.
“Amongst other notable milestones, Mr Annan led the UN in winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 for his and the UN’s sterling efforts in peace initiatives throughout the world.”
President Mnangagwa described Mr Annan as an unwavering internationalist who would be remembered for, among other accomplishments, the Millennium Development Goals, which for the first time, set global targets on issues such as poverty and child mortality.
“He will be dearly missed on the African continent and in the developing world for his devotion to promoting the interests of the marginalised in Africa and throughout the world,” said President Mnangagwa.
“The people of Zimbabwe recall his visit to the country only last month, as part of the Elders, on a mission to engage the Government and the people on their efforts to entrench a lasting democratic culture.
“His message then was for the nation to remain united and to hold elections in a peaceful manner.”
President Mnangagwa said Ghana and Africa as a whole had been robbed of a renowned statesman.
“His death has robbed his country, the African continent and the entire international community of a peacemaker and distinguished statesman par excellence, who dedicated his entire life to the betterment of humankind and the creation of a world appreciated by all,” he said.
“This is indeed the legacy he bequeaths to us all, a peaceful world we and future generations will be proud to call home.
“May the Annan family and the people of Ghana be consoled and find solace in the fact that their loss is shared by the entire continent and that the whole world grieves with them during this difficult period. May his soul rest in eternal peace.”
Mr Annan, who died on Saturday after a short illness, was born in Kumasi, Ghana, on April 8 1938.
He joined the UN system in 1962 as an administrative officer with the World Health Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland.
Mr Annan later served with the Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, the UN Emergency Force in Ismailia, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva and in several senior posts at its headquarters in New York.
Before becoming Secretary- General, he was under-secretary general for peacekeeping and also served as special representative of the Secretary-General to the former Yugoslavia between 1995 and 1996.
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