Kofi Atta Annan (born 8 April 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006. Annan and the United Nations were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize "for their work for a better organized and more peaceful world."[2]

From 23 February until 31 August 2012, Annan was the UN–Arab League Joint Special Representative for Syria, to help find a resolution to ongoing conflict there.[3][4] Annan quit after becoming frustrated with the UN's lack of progress with regard to conflict resolution,[5] stating that "when the Syrian people desperately need action, there continues to be finger-pointing and name-calling in the Security Council."