Kofi Annan, Man of the World
David Johnson for TIME
Diplomat Par Excellence
When Ghanaian Kofi Annan ended his service as United Nations Secretary-General in 2006, he closed the book on four decades of service in the international body. Known for his affable, consensus-building nature, Annan built an enormously successful career by mediating conflicts, advocating human rights, working to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS and battling terrorism.