Military · Politics · Science · 1938–2018

Kofi Annan — Age & Birthday

Born: 8 April 1938 · Died: 18 August 2018 · Age at death: 80

How old was Kofi Annan when he died?

Kofi Annan died aged 80. He was born on 8 April 1938 and died on 18 August 2018.

Ghanaian diplomat who served as Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006 and shared the Nobel Peace Prize

Did you know?He was a joint recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in creating a more organised and peaceful world.

Quick facts

  • Date of birth8 April 1938
  • Date of death18 August 2018
  • Age at death80
  • NationalityGhanaian
  • BirthplaceKumasi, Ghana
  • Occupationdiplomat, economist, politician

Editor's Take:

Kofi Annan was the first Secretary-General of the United Nations from sub-Saharan Africa, and he brought a calm, persuasive style to one of the hardest jobs in diplomacy. He rose through the organisation's ranks over several decades before becoming Secretary-General in 1997. He championed the Millennium Development Goals, a global plan to reduce poverty, disease and hunger. His time in office also saw painful failures, including peacekeeping disasters in Rwanda and Bosnia, which he later spoke about openly. After leaving the UN, he continued mediating conflicts, including in Kenya and Syria.

Key Milestones

  1. 1962: Joins the World Health Organization
  2. 1997: Becomes UN Secretary-General
  3. 2001: Shares the Nobel Peace Prize with the UN
  4. 2012: Serves as peace envoy for Syria

Kofi Atta Annan (8 April 1938 – 18 August 2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat and statesman who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Profile

Kofi Annan: UN Secretary-General

Ghanaian diplomat, born 1938

Kofi Annan was born in Kumasi on 8 April 1938.

He was the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations.

He was the first to rise from the UN's own staff.

He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the UN in 2001.

Career highlights

  1. 1962WHO: joins UN system
  2. 1993Peacekeeping: heads department
  3. 1997Secretary-General: takes office
  4. 2001Nobel Peace Prize: awarded
  5. 2012Syria: UN envoy

Did you know?He had a twin sister, Efua.

Age at death
80
Would be
88
Years since death
8

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Questions people ask

Frequently asked questions

When is Kofi Annan's birthday?
Kofi Annan's birthday is April 8. He was born on April 8, 1938 in Kumasi, Ghana.
How old was Kofi Annan when he died?
Kofi Annan died on August 18, 2018, aged 80.
Who shares a birthday with Kofi Annan?
Famous people who share Kofi Annan's April 8 birthday include Timur, Edmund Husserl, Mary Pickford, Emil Cioran and Jacques Brel.

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Reviewed by the Who Shares My Birthday editorial team.

Last reviewed: October 2026