Kofi Annan delivers a talk at Saint Xavier University on "The Five Rules of International Diplomacy," a call for multilateralism and a renewed faith in a global approach to tackling the world’s problems.
Bio
Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan served as United Nations Secretary-General from 1997 to 2006. During his tenure, Mr. Annan was a resolute advocate for human rights, the rule of law, and the revitalization of the United Nations.
He played a key role in mobilizing a global effort to combat malaria and HIV/AIDS. He was instrumental in laying out the Millennium Development Goals, a strategy to meet the needs of the world's poorest by 2015. On 10th December 2001, Mr. Annan and the United Nations received the Nobel Peace Prize. Born in Ghana in 1938, Mr. Annan pursued postgraduate studies in Minnesota and Geneva, and received a Master's of Science in Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Mr. Annan, a Ghanaian citizen, currently resides in Geneva, Switzerland.
Art of conducting relationships for gain without conflict. It is the chief instrument of foreign policy. Its methods include secret negotiation by accredited envoys (though political leaders also negotiate) and international agreements and laws. Its use predates recorded history. The goal of diplomacy is to further the state's interests as dictated by geography, history, and economics. Safeguarding the state's independence, security, and integrity is of prime importance; preserving the widest possible freedom of action for the state is nearly as important. Beyond that, diplomacy seeks maximum national advantage without using force and preferably without causing resentment.