The International Federation for Peace and Sustainable Development deeply mourns of the passing of former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. On the passing of His Excellency Annan, IFPSD President Sally Kader and Ralph Kader grieve the loss of a greatly respected leader and a very dear friend.
H.E. Annan, 80, passed away in Bern, Switzerland, after battling with what has been described as a short illness. The Kader family extends deepest condolences on the demise of H.E. Annan, with whom they have held close personal ties for decades.
In the aftermath of Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait in 1990, Mr. Ralph Kader was held hostage in Iraq for being an American and a diplomat for the United Nations. While IFPSD President Sally Kader and their children managed to return to the United States of America, Mr. Kader was forced to stay behind, marking a truly trying and difficult time for the family. H.E. Kofi Annan, who was assigned the special task of facilitating the repatriation of UN staff, was personally responsible in negotiating the return of Mr. Ralph Kader from Iraq to the United States, and thereby for reuniting the family, an act for which the family remains forever grateful to H.E. Kofi Annan.
Mr. Kader further continued to work alongside H.E. Annan in the United Nations Personnel as well as the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations. The bond of friendship between H.E. Annan and the Kader family continued for the years to come.
“H.E Kofi Annan became a beloved lifelong family friend to us and our children. Our family mourns losing a close friend who played a major part in our lives,” said IFPSD President Sally Kader.
In the anticipation of his retirement from Secretary General of the United Nations, on the 19th of September 2006 H.E Kofi Annan delivered his farewell speech in the presence of world leaders at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. In his speech he described the three major problems in the world; “an unjust world economy, world disorder, and widespread contempt for human rights and the rule of law”. He declared that during his time as Secretary General these problems “have not resolved, but sharpened”.
IFPSD honors his efforts and strives to continue to realize the vision that H.E. Annan worked tirelessly toward.
“Through our work at The International Federation for Peace and Sustainable Development my husband and I will work tirelessly to help in the mitigation of the problems in the world that H.E Kofi Annan pointed out in his final speeches as Secretary General of the United Nations, and help bring his vision of world peace to reality,” said President Sally Kader. “It has been our honor and privilege to have you as in our life as a true friend and colleague. Thank you for making our world a better place, you will be missed dearly.”
“I would like to express my most sincere condolences to his wife Nane, his family Nina, Kojo and Ama, and friends”, she added.
For further information, please contact:
Mrs. Salwa (Sally) Kader
info@ifpsd.org