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The following speech was delivered by Michael Møller, a Kofi Annan Foundation Board member, on 22 January 2026, during a special event entitled “The Future of the United Nations in a Turbulent World” at the Danish Parliament in Copenhagen. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you very much for the invitation to reflect with…
Multilateralism and the United Nations in Transition: Building Forward Better
The following speech was delivered by Michael Møller, a Kofi Annan Foundation Board member, on 22 January 2026, during a special event entitled “The Future of the United Nations in a Turbulent World” at the Danish Parliament in Copenhagen. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you very much for the invitation to reflect with you on the transition of multilateralism and the United Nations, and the choices that lie before us. It is an honour and a pleasure to be with you today. Much of what I will say may be familiar and even self-evident, and by some of you, maybe considered…
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French traduction below / Traduction française ci-dessous The Kofi Annan Foundation calls on all the protagonists of the escalating crisis in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to bring the fighting in and around Goma to an immediate end, and to seek a lasting solution to the protracted conflict that has…
Statement on the Crisis in the Eastern DRC
French traduction below / Traduction française ci-dessous The Kofi Annan Foundation calls on all the protagonists of the escalating crisis in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to bring the fighting in and around Goma to an immediate end, and to seek a lasting solution to the protracted conflict that has affected the region for too long. The M23 rebel movement must withdraw from Goma, and Rwandan troops must withdraw from the DRC. Rwanda’s military presence in the country is a clear violation of international law, the UN Charter, and the territorial integrity of the DRC. While Rwanda and the…
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The following is a transcript of the speech given by Corinne Momal-Vanian at the 16TH EISA ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM in Nairobi, 11 December 2024. Navigating political transitions in Africa It is an honour to be asked to deliver this opening speech on behalf of the Kofi Annan Foundation. For most of my career,…
Back to the future?
The following is a transcript of the speech given by Corinne Momal-Vanian at the 16TH EISA ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM in Nairobi, 11 December 2024. Navigating political transitions in Africa It is an honour to be asked to deliver this opening speech on behalf of the Kofi Annan Foundation. For most of my career, the term “transition” has meant a transition from authoritarian rule to democracy. That is why it came as a bit of a shock to realize, when I read the conference’s excellent concept note, that is now means the exact opposite. Something has gone wrong, ladies and gentlemen, and…
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Topic: EPD Community Author: European Partnership for Democracy December 2024 As the new College of Commissioners of the European Commission takes office today, EPD and its membership would wish them all the best for the challenging five years ahead. Democracy faces an array of grave challenges, globally as well as within the EU’s own borders.…
A Message to the European Commission from the European Democracy Support Community
Topic: EPD Community Author: European Partnership for Democracy December 2024 As the new College of Commissioners of the European Commission takes office today, EPD and its membership would wish them all the best for the challenging five years ahead. Democracy faces an array of grave challenges, globally as well as within the EU’s own borders. 2024 has been a mega-election year and while millions of people, in the EU and abroad, freely expressed their choices at the ballot box, several worrying trends have emerged or been highlighted at the same time. The outgoing Commission took important steps towards tackling democratic backsliding in Europe in…
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As Ghanaians prepare to head to the polls this Saturday, the Kofi Annan Foundation urges them to vote for Ghana. Kofi Annan was proud to come from Sub-Saharan Africa’s first independent country and one of its most vibrant democracies. His nationality was one factor contributing to his reputation as an honest broker…
The Kofi Annan Foundation calls on Ghanaians to “Vote for Ghana”
As Ghanaians prepare to head to the polls this Saturday, the Kofi Annan Foundation urges them to vote for Ghana. Kofi Annan was proud to come from Sub-Saharan Africa’s first independent country and one of its most vibrant democracies. His nationality was one factor contributing to his reputation as an honest broker in international affairs. At a time when democracy is backsliding around the world, including in West Africa, Ghana stands out as a beacon of hope. Yet we know that Ghana’s democracy, like all democracies, is fragile. Like in many African countries, the heavy debt burden shouldered by the…
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An open letter by the international Leadership Excellence in Politics (LEiP) Initiative We, the undersigned, unite with a shared commitment to restore trust in political leadership and enhance its practice to meet the unique demands of the 21st-century. In an era where trust in political institutions is waning, now is the time…
Advancing Politics Together: Academics, Politicians, and Civil Society Call on Peers to Unite for the Future of Political Leadership
An open letter by the international Leadership Excellence in Politics (LEiP) Initiative We, the undersigned, unite with a shared commitment to restore trust in political leadership and enhance its practice to meet the unique demands of the 21st-century. In an era where trust in political institutions is waning, now is the time for leaders across all sectors to come together and bridge the gap between public expectations and the actions of political leaders. At this pivotal moment, we—18 representatives from academia, politics, civil society, and leadership development—invite our colleagues, peers, and funders to join us in this mission. Expectations or…
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Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders, delivered the Kofi Annan Peace Address during Geneva Peace Week 2024. Reflecting on Kofi Annan’s legacy and the current global leadership crisis in peace efforts, she called for greater respect for humanitarian law, and advocated for gender parity in leadership, emphasising the need for women’s inclusion in peacebuilding. Full Remarks…
Mary Robinson: “The current failure of leadership is not gender neutral”
Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders, delivered the Kofi Annan Peace Address during Geneva Peace Week 2024. Reflecting on Kofi Annan’s legacy and the current global leadership crisis in peace efforts, she called for greater respect for humanitarian law, and advocated for gender parity in leadership, emphasising the need for women’s inclusion in peacebuilding. Full Remarks from Mary Robinson Kofi Annan Geneva Peace Address, 15 October 2024. These remarks were first published by The Elders. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen It is an honour and a pleasure to be with you here tonight in my capacity as Chair of The Elders to deliver the Kofi…
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À l’occasion de la Journée internationale de la paix et avant le Sommet pour l’avenir, la Fondation Kofi Annan et Interpeace lancent un appel d’urgence pour la paix. Cet article a été publié dans Le Temps le 20 septembre 2024, sous la plume de Corinne Momal-Vanian et Itonde Kakoma. Nous vivons en…
Appel d’urgence pour la paix
À l’occasion de la Journée internationale de la paix et avant le Sommet pour l’avenir, la Fondation Kofi Annan et Interpeace lancent un appel d’urgence pour la paix. Cet article a été publié dans Le Temps le 20 septembre 2024, sous la plume de Corinne Momal-Vanian et Itonde Kakoma. Nous vivons en temps de guerre. Et nous semblons nous y résigner. Le nombre des conflits armés est plus élevé qu’à n’importe quel moment depuis la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale[1] et les dépenses mondiales en matière de défense ont progressé pour la neuvième année consécutive en 2023, atteignant 2443…
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Brussels, 6 June 2024. On 5 June, the Kofi Annan Foundation (KAF), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and Reporters without Borders (RSF) organized a roundtable discussion at the Brussels Press Club on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which came into force on 7 May. Opening remarks were provided by Corinne Momal-Vanian, Executive Director of Kofi Annan Foundation, Renate Schroeder, Director…
Communiqué | From the European Media Freedom Act to the right to information: The challenges ahead
Brussels, 6 June 2024. On 5 June, the Kofi Annan Foundation (KAF), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and Reporters without Borders (RSF) organized a roundtable discussion at the Brussels Press Club on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which came into force on 7 May. Opening remarks were provided by Corinne Momal-Vanian, Executive Director of Kofi Annan Foundation, Renate Schroeder, Director of EFJ, and Antoine Bernard, Director of Advocacy at RSF, followed by a keynote speech from Vice-President of the European Commission, Věra Jourová. Sébastien Brack, the Kofi Annan Foundation’s representative in Brussels, moderated a panel discussion with Renate Nikolay, Deputy Director-General of DG Connect, Frederic Bokobza, Deputy Director-General of the French media regulator,…
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Pretoria, 17.11.2023. In Transformation Initiative (ITI) et la Fondation Kofi Annan ont facilité un dialogue de cinq jours, du 13 au 17 novembre 2023, à Pretoria, en Afrique du Sud, entre les représentants de cinq candidats à la présidence de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC), à savoir Martin Fayulu, Moïse Katumbi,…
RD Congo | Communiqué de In Transformation Initiative et de la Foundation Kofi Annan
Pretoria, 17.11.2023. In Transformation Initiative (ITI) et la Fondation Kofi Annan ont facilité un dialogue de cinq jours, du 13 au 17 novembre 2023, à Pretoria, en Afrique du Sud, entre les représentants de cinq candidats à la présidence de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC), à savoir Martin Fayulu, Moïse Katumbi, Augustin Matata Ponyo, Denis Mukwege et Delly Sesanga (en ordre alphabétique). Le dialogue a été organisé à l’invitation d’acteurs de la société civile en vue de former une coalition qui veillera à l’intégrité du processus électoral et portera éventuellement un candidat commun à l’élection présidentielle prévue le 20…
