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GENEVA, 2 June 2026. The Kofi Annan Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Katie Sams as its new Executive Director. Ms Sams will succeed Ms Corinne Momal-Vanian, who is stepping down after six years of service with the Foundation. Ms Sams brings extensive experience in international humanitarian and peacebuilding…
Katie Sams named Executive Director of the Kofi Annan Foundation
GENEVA, 2 June 2026. The Kofi Annan Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Katie Sams as its new Executive Director. Ms Sams will succeed Ms Corinne Momal-Vanian, who is stepping down after six years of service with the Foundation. Ms Sams brings extensive experience in international humanitarian and peacebuilding organisations. Most recently, she served as Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, after more than two decades with the International Committee of the Red Cross in a range of senior leadership positions. Earlier in her career, she focused on African peace…
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The Kofi Annan Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Kojo Annan, John Nagulendran and Neha Sanghrajka to the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation in 2025. Kojo Annan is an entrepreneur and investor with an extensive global network and strong track record of growing new businesses across international markets. “It…
Kofi Annan Foundation Announces Three New Board Members
The Kofi Annan Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Kojo Annan, John Nagulendran and Neha Sanghrajka to the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation in 2025. Kojo Annan is an entrepreneur and investor with an extensive global network and strong track record of growing new businesses across international markets. “It is a great privilege to join the board of the Kofi Annan Foundation and contribute to advancing its vital work. My father’s lifelong commitment to peace, justice, and multilateralism continues to inspire me, and I am deeply invested in ensuring that his vision remains impactful for generations to…
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The Kofi Annan Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Peter Piot to the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation. Dr Piot is a Belgian physician and microbiologist, Special Advisor on global health security to the President of the European Commission, Founding Executive Director of UNAIDS, former Under-Secretary-General of the…
Dr Peter Piot joins the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation
The Kofi Annan Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Peter Piot to the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation. Dr Piot is a Belgian physician and microbiologist, Special Advisor on global health security to the President of the European Commission, Founding Executive Director of UNAIDS, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, and former Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. “I am delighted to welcome Peter Piot to the Board of the Foundation,” said Board Chair Elhadj As Sy. “Peterbrings to the Board several decades of experience from an illustrious career in international public…
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Amid overlapping climate and food crises, the Kofi Annan Commission on Food Security will review and reimagine current systems to reach zero hunger. GENEVA / NEW YORK | 11 December 2023 – As the world faces an unprecedented food and nutrition crisis, the Kofi Annan Foundation, with the support of The Rockefeller…
The Kofi Annan Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation Announce New Commission to Transform Global Food Security Governance
Amid overlapping climate and food crises, the Kofi Annan Commission on Food Security will review and reimagine current systems to reach zero hunger. GENEVA / NEW YORK | 11 December 2023 – As the world faces an unprecedented food and nutrition crisis, the Kofi Annan Foundation, with the support of The Rockefeller Foundation, announces today the creation of a new initiative to transform current global food security governance. The initiative will convene an eminent group of leaders – the Kofi Annan Commission on Food Security – to review the current challenges to the global food security architecture; develop policy recommendations…
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The Kofi Annan Foundation is delighted to announce the continuation of our partnership with the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Corporation’s U.S. $200,000 commitment will support the work of the Kofi Annan Foundation in 2024 and 2025. Kofi Annan Foundation Executive Director Corinne Momal-Vanian said, “Carnegie Corporation has been investing in…
Funding Announcement | Kofi Annan Foundation Receives Grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York
The Kofi Annan Foundation is delighted to announce the continuation of our partnership with the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Corporation’s U.S. $200,000 commitment will support the work of the Kofi Annan Foundation in 2024 and 2025. Kofi Annan Foundation Executive Director Corinne Momal-Vanian said, “Carnegie Corporation has been investing in the knowledge that inspires informed action in democracy and international peace since 1911. We are honoured to have been recognised for carrying this work forward. The Kofi Annan Foundation will continue to invest in addressing policy, governance and practical challenges at the global level and with national and…
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A global network that convenes election stakeholders around a shared vision: to inspire and inform action to advance electoral integrity in the face of critical threats to democracy. During a time when democratic elections around the world face an evolving and increasingly complex set of threats and challenges, sustained cooperation among global…
Launch of the Global Network for Securing Electoral Integrity (GNSEI)
A global network that convenes election stakeholders around a shared vision: to inspire and inform action to advance electoral integrity in the face of critical threats to democracy. During a time when democratic elections around the world face an evolving and increasingly complex set of threats and challenges, sustained cooperation among global electoral integrity stakeholders is urgently needed. The Global Network for Securing Electoral Integrity (GNSEI or Network) convenes election stakeholders around a shared vision: to inspire and inform action to advance electoral integrity in the face of critical threats to democracy. Specifically, GNSEI brings together leading international electoral integrity…
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The Kofi Annan Foundation is delighted to announce that it has received important new grants and donations. These will greatly help us deliver on our mission to build on Kofi Annan’s legacy for peace by advancing democracy, youth leadership and international cooperation. Mr Ivan Pictet, a member of the Board of the…
New funding to boost the Foundation’s work in peace and democracy
The Kofi Annan Foundation is delighted to announce that it has received important new grants and donations. These will greatly help us deliver on our mission to build on Kofi Annan’s legacy for peace by advancing democracy, youth leadership and international cooperation. Mr Ivan Pictet, a member of the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation, former Senior Partner of Pictet & Cie, and former President of Fondation pour Genève, donated one million Swiss Francs to the Foundation at the end of December 2022. Mr Pictet was a close friend of Kofi Annan, and through this gift, Mr Pictet wished to…
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The Kofi Annan Foundation is delighted to announce the continuation of our partnership with the Open Society Foundations. The Foundation’s U.S. $1.5 million commitment will support the work of the Kofi Annan Foundation in 2022 and 2023. Kofi Annan Foundation Executive Director, Corinne Momal-Vanian, said, “We have worked in partnership with the…
Funding Announcement | Kofi Annan Foundation Receives Grant from the Open Society Foundations
The Kofi Annan Foundation is delighted to announce the continuation of our partnership with the Open Society Foundations. The Foundation’s U.S. $1.5 million commitment will support the work of the Kofi Annan Foundation in 2022 and 2023. Kofi Annan Foundation Executive Director, Corinne Momal-Vanian, said, “We have worked in partnership with the Open Society Foundations (OSF) for over a decade. Our partnership is built on the shared belief that solutions to national, regional, and global challenges demand the free exchange of ideas and thinking – and that everyone should have a voice in shaping the policies that affect them. We…
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We are delighted to join the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) and excited to work with its members to reinforce the impact of European actions to promote and defend democracy worldwide. These are trying times for supporters of democracy. Still, the Foundation and the EPD share the conviction that democracy is the…
The Kofi Annan Foundation joins the European Partnership for Democracy network
We are delighted to join the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) and excited to work with its members to reinforce the impact of European actions to promote and defend democracy worldwide. These are trying times for supporters of democracy. Still, the Foundation and the EPD share the conviction that democracy is the system best suited to deliver human rights, human security, and development, and while it can appear chaotic, at its heart, democracy is far more resilient and more capable of delivering positive change, than any alternative. “The Foundation and the European Partnership for Democracy share the conviction that democracy…
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We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Samson Itodo, lawyer and democracy activist, to the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation. “I am particularly happy to welcome Samson to the Board of the Foundation,” said Chair of the Board Elhadj As Sy. “At a time when half of the world’s…
Samson Itodo joins the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation
We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Samson Itodo, lawyer and democracy activist, to the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation. “I am particularly happy to welcome Samson to the Board of the Foundation,” said Chair of the Board Elhadj As Sy. “At a time when half of the world’s population is younger than 30, and as urgent challenges require improved and more inclusive governance at all levels, his expertise and commitment to the inclusion of young people in politics and effective leadership will bring great value to our work.” “It is with great pleasure that I join…
