April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 2007, serving two five-year terms. He was the co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.

On December 13, 1996, Annan was recommended by the United Nations Security Council to be Secretary-General,[1] and was confirmed four days later by vote of the General Assembly.[2] Annan took the oath of office without delay, starting his first term as Secretary-General on January 1, 1997. Annan replaced outgoing Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt, becoming the first person from a black African nation to serve as Secretary-General