Kofi Annan Men Quotations

This moment belongs, above all , to the people of East Timor who have so richly earned their freedom.

Perhaps the single most successful international agreement to date has been the Montreal Protocol.

Above all else, we need a reaffirmation of political commitment at the highest levels to reducing the dangers that arise both from existing nuclear weapons and from further proliferation.

I often quote an African proverb that says: "The world is not ours, the earth is not ours, It's a treasure we hold in trust for future generations." And I often hope we will be worthy of that trust.

It is not in the United Nations that the Millennium Development Goals will be achieved. They have to be achieved in each of its Member States, by the joint efforts of their governments and people.

The right to development is the measure of the respect of all other human rights.That should be our aim: a situation in which all individuals are enabled to maximize their potential, and to contribute to the evolution of society as a whole.

There are a great number of peoples who need more than just words of sympathy from the international community. They need a real and sustained commitment to help end their cycles of violence, and launch them on a safe passage to prosperity.

There is no development strategy more beneficial to society as a whole - women and men alike - than the one which involves women as central players.

We will not enjoy security without development, we will not enjoy development without security, and we will not enjoy either without respect for human rights.

The United Nations has long recognised that the imagination, ideals and energies of young men and women are vital for the continuing development of the societies in which they live. And since its inception in 1948, AIESEC has contributed to this development by serving as an agent of positive change trough education and cultural exchange.

The Millennium Development Goals can be met by 2015, but only if all involved break with business as usual and dramatically accelerate and scale up action now.

If information and knowledge are central to democracy, they are the conditions for development.

Literacy is, finally, the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential.

The preservation of biodiversity is not just a job for governments. International and non-governmental organisations, the private sector and each and every individual have a role to play in changing entrenched outlooks and ending destructive patterns of behaviour

Let us all reaffirm our commitment to improving the well- being of families throughout the world.

We cannot wait for governments to do it all. Globalization operates on Internet time. Governments tend to be slow moving by nature, because they have to build political support for every step.

A developed country is one that allows all its citizens to enjoy a free and healthy life in a safe environment

literacy is at the heart of sustainable development

Whether our task is fighting poverty, stemming the spread of disease or saving innocent lives from mass murder, we have seen that we cannot succeed without the leadership of the strong and the engagement of all.

Peace is never a perfect achievement.

Once you are really challenged, you find something in yourself. Man doesn't know what he is capable of until he is asked.

In an age of interdependence, global citizenship - based on trust and sense of shared responsibility - is a crucial pillar of progress. At a time when more than one billion people are denied the very minimum requirements of human dignity, business cannot afford to be seen as the problem. Rather, it must work with governments and all other actors in society to mobilize global science, technology and knowledge to tackle the interlocking crises of hunger, disease, environmental degradation and conflict that are holding back the developing world.

If the new commitment to intervention in the face of extreme suffering is to retain the support of the world's peoples, it must be -- and must be seen to be -- fairly and consistently applied to, irrespective of region or nation. Humanity, after all, is indivisible,

The U.N. power comes from concerted action of the governments.

The number one goal in resolving a conflict is to make sure both sides maintain their self-esteem. You don't hit a man on the head when you've got your fingers between his teeth.

All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.

On this International Literacy Day, let us recall that literacy for all is an integral part of education for all, and that both are critical for achieving truly sustainable development for all.

The fight against HIV/AIDS requires leadership from all parts of government - and it needs to go right to the top. AIDS is far more than a health crisis. It is a threat to development itself.

Gather the five virtues (Dignity, Confidence, Courage, Compassion, and Faith). Then you are a man.

His Holiness brings a wealth of experience to this exalted office. The United Nations and the Holy See share a strong commitment to peace, social justice, human dignity, religious freedom and mutual respect among the world's religions.

We are going to work with the Congolese people and the government to make sure we make progress and consolidate peace and stability.

We support an all-inclusive process and we had hoped that this electoral process ... would pull the Iraqis together, ... It has not worked as we had hoped, but we still urge the parties to work together and I believe the reversal by the parliament of the decision last night would help the process.

We submit to you our request for your involvement and your good office in the present circumstances to call upon the US authority and the present government of Iraq to review the legal status of the present court and to reallocate the present court outside Iraq, i.e. The Hague, Netherlands,

The government of Syria has informed me that the smuggling of arms and people across the Syrian-Lebanese border does indeed take place, albeit in both directions,

The scale of this achievement seems to have been missed by some, ... So let's make sure we live up to our promises to the world's poor.

Malaria can be beaten, the means exist. Together we can change the world and prolong the vast movement of solidarity reflected in this evening's concert,

By your agreement on the outcome document, these achievements will be locked in,

By the solemn undertaking they have given here in open court, these eleven men and seven women, representing all regions of the world and many different cultures, have made themselves the embodiment of our collective consciences,

I think (the US government is) positive to our assistance from the UN and the international community ... We are prepared to do whatever we can,

I think the United States government is working very hard with the parties to move the process forward, and I urge and encourage the parties to really work with the United States government to make the compromises necessary and move the process forward,

The fact that you have not reached agreement on these and other issues does not render them any less urgent,

We have a clear mandate from the Security Council to do whatever we can to work with the government and the people of Iraq to make sure Iraq takes charge of its own future and develops a stable peaceful society,

The UNMISET mandate implementation plan establishes milestones that will allow the Security Council to monitor the achievement of the mission's goals,

So far, donors have made firm commitments for only 12 percent, 37 million dollars, of the UN requirements under the flash appeal of 312 million,

Most of all, it must generate new momentum towards developing the economies and societies of poor countries, and transforming the lives of poor people,

Obviously we need all our tools, helicopters, trucks, communication to be able to operate, ... We are placed in a situation where the government has not been cooperating and has limited the movements of our troops.

Obviously we didn't get everything we wanted. With 191 member states, it's not easy to get an agreement,

Obviously we didn't get everything we wanted and with 191 member states it's not easy to get an agreement, ... All of us would have wanted more but we can work with what we have been given, and it's a step forward.

Collective punishment has cast a pall of anger and despair over the already tense occupied territories,

unhappily, both were found and have been documented in great detail.

I hope it's not too late to get the Yugoslav government to change its position,

I do not understand these Ivorian leaders, these men who believe they are capable of leading a country, who are seeking to become president of a country they are in the process of destroying.

As we move forward, we hope we will be able to work with the Iraqis and the coalition to find a mechanism for establishing a caretaker or an interim government until such time elections are organized,

In my judgment, we've given all the explanation and clarifications that have been demanded by the Libyan authorities, ... We are waiting for the decision.

The U.N. family must do its part, but today I also call yet again on member states to do all they can to ensure a secure environment for U.N. staff as they go about their work in the service of humankind,

We have made it clear that it does not go around encouraging abortions, ... It does give good advice to women in the area of reproductive health and does very good work around the world, including in China.

Quite apart from his role as a spiritual guide to more than a billion men, women and children, he was a tireless advocate of peace, a true pioneer in interfaith dialogue and a strong force for critical self-evaluation by the Church itself,

The swings of international assistance from government to nongovernmental organizations and back, according to the legitimacy of the government of the day, have disrupted long-term development in the past,

The promptness with which the government of Turkey has mobilized initial humanitarian aid has helped to mitigate the initial level of suffering,

I think is it is very important that the Iraqi parliament reversed itself, because that decision was patently inappropriate and we made that clear to them,

This is a critical moment in the region, and Turkey has a central role to play,

The essential part of the discussion, ... try and establish an Iraqi administration that would be responsible for running its own affairs -- and not so much for the U.N. to take over the management of Iraq.

reflecting our mutual commitment to a stable, prosperous and equitable world.

The secretary-general reminds all the parties of their responsibility for the security and the freedom of movements of U.N. peacekeepers, and he reiterates that any escalation of the tensions along the blue line could have serious consequences for peace and security in the region,

Liberty is not just a cause for celebration today, but also a worthy crusade for our time, ... Where there is life, there is the thirst for liberty in all men and women regardless of faith, color or country.

It is clear that if the declaration of commitment is to live up to its name, we will have to do much, much better on several fronts,

Agreement is fine, but the most important is implementation,

If we leave here without agreement we shall give comfort to the worst elements in every society.

still have no policies to ensure that women have access to prevention and care.

Both rebels and government must understand that, if these incidents continue, it will impede humanitarian assistance and delivery.

So we should be clear that in this situation, we will take the measures to make sure poor and rich have access to the medication and the vaccine required, ... And the decision should be taken ahead of time so that we don't have to quibble about it when the critical and the crisis moment arrive.

Notwithstanding the embargo, Cuba's achievements in social development are impressive given the size of its gross domestic product per capita, ... As the human development index of the United Nations makes clear year after year, Cuba should be the envy of many other nations ostensibly far richer.

No matter how difficult agreement is, there is no escaping the fact that the challenges of our time must be met by action and today, more than ever, action must be collective if it is to be effective.

It's important that we do everything to make sure that the cease-fire holds -- we do everything to implement it and move forward very quickly with the implementation of all aspects of the Mitchell Report.

It's been difficult, ... He's had to make compromises to move the process ahead. It was never going to be easy ... but now that the new government is installed, we all need to look forward.

Now we turn to a new task: to implement what has been agreed, and keep working to bridge differences that remain,

I would want us all to put real collective pressure and sustain it on President Milosevic in the hope that we will get an agreement and he will understand the implications of any escalation,

The model of development we are accustomed to has been fruitful for few and flawed for many. A path to prosperity that ravages the environment and leaves a majority of humankind behind in squalor will soon prove to be a dead-end road for everyone.

Whatever our differences, in our interdependent world, we stand or fall together, ... Even the strongest among us cannot succeed alone...We cannot succeed without the leadership of the strong and the engagement of all.

A world government can intervene militarily in the internal affairs of any nation when it disapproves of their activities.

Human beings are not property. On the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, let us reaffirm the inherent dignity of all men, women and children. And let us redouble our efforts so that the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - 'no one shall be held in slavery or servitude' - ring true.

It appears that the United States will squeak by, paying just enough to avoid losing its vote in the General Assembly. While the United States will avoid this fate for this year, on the larger question - its legal commitment and its moral obligation

In less than 12 hours, East Timor will be an independent country, a moment of pride and liberation,

How this crisis is resolved will affect greatly the course of peace and security in the region and the world, ... I commend the council for acting today with purpose and resolve.

Under the circumstances, it is difficult to envisage the United Nations operating with a large number of international staff inside Iraq in the near future unless there is an unexpected and significant improvement in the overall security situation,

Given the pressure from the people, from the grass roots, I really do not think any government can sit out this movement for long, ... It's only a matter of time.

If the Indonesian government ... brings those responsible to trial, there will be no need ... for the Security Council to establish a second international tribunal,

When I think of the delicate balance of tremendous promise and urgent peril in today's world, I think particularly of the nations of Latin America, ... Because yours is a region that truly hangs in that delicate balance. It is in many ways a microcosm of the world in which we live, and it is therefore a place in which all that the United Nations stands for is put to test.

It will no doubt require long-term commitment on the part of the international community to see this process to a successful conclusion,

You will agree to establish a Peace building Commission, backed by a support office and a fund, ... This will mark a new level of strategic commitment to one of the most important contributions the United Nations makes to international peace and security. You will also agree to create a standing police capacity for the United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Simply put, what the United Nations wants is what the U.S. also wants: a reformed United Nations that is effective, efficient, leaner and relevant to the tasks that member states want to set for us, ... The world has changed and we have to change, we have to adapt and I have given my commitment to the president that I will pursue reforms.

There are no winners, and there are no losers today, ... This moment heralds the opportunity for all East Timorese to begin to forge together a common future in what is to become an independent East Timor.

There are now 11 women heads of state or government, in countries on every continent. And three countries -- Chile, Spain and Sweden -- now have gender parity in government.

Some of the critics will never stop, but reasonable men and women will know that we've done everything we can to find the truth and are going to take steps to correct that.

I think we should see a clear message in the overwhelming success of women in presidential elections over the past year: the world is ready for a woman as secretary general of the United Nations.

If Iraq were to break the agreement, it would be much easier to get an agreement in the council to take military action,

I don't think that the United States government rushes to judgment until all the facts are in.

Civilians are still being attacked and fleeing their villages even as we speak, many months after the government committed itself to bring the militias under control, ... It is urgent to take action now.

Men can make a particular difference -- by being more caring, by taking fewer risks and by facing the issue of AIDS head-on.

The people and government of Pakistan are faced with an extraordinary challenge and we need to make an extraordinary effort to support them, ... What is needed is an immediate and exceptional escalation of the global relief effort to support the work of the government of Pakistan.