Kofi Annan's Death Will Boost Ghana's Tourism - Tourism Minister

The Minister of Tourism, Catherine Afeku has stated that the death of ex-United Nations General Secretary Kofi Annan has a potential of boosting tourism in the country.

She said his burial place will serve as a tourism site for the country.

'He was a true African. His behaviour meant he was a consummate diplomat. We have lost an illustrious son. He is an honourable person and it will remain history that we buried an illustrious son in the continent…' she said.

She said this at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), where the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations has been laid-in-state.

'He has made his name. People will come to Ghana to look at his tomb. These are the things that will enhance and boost the transportation of our export…'

He joined the UN system in 1962 as an administrative and budget officer with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva.

Kofi Annan, who died on Saturday aged 80, is widely credited for raising the United Nation's profile in global politics (AFP/File)

On his initiative, UN peacekeeping was strengthened in ways that enabled the UN to cope with a rapid rise in the number of operations and personnel. It was also at his urging that in 2005, member states established two new inter-governmental bodies: the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights Council.

Mr Annan also played a central role in the creation of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; the adoption of the UN's first-ever counter-terrorism strategy and the acceptance by member states of the 'responsibility to protect' people from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

He was the co-recipient of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize with the UN.