Kofi Annan resigns as UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy
The United Nations(UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday announced the resignation of the UN-League of Arab States Joint Special Envoy for the Syrian crisis, Kofi Annan.
Ki-moon said: “Mr. Annan has informed me, and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Mr. Nabil El Araby, of his intention not to renew his mandate when it expires on 31 August 2012.
“I wish to express my deepest gratitude to Mr. Annan for the determined and courageous efforts he has made as the Joint Special Envoy for Syria,” Ban said in a statement at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Annan, a former UN Secretary-General, was appointed in late February to serve as the high-level representative of the Secretaries-General of the UN and the League of Arab States on the Syrian crisis.
He was to provide good offices aimed at bringing an end to all violence and human rights violations, and promoting a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis.
Syria had been wracked by violence, with more than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, killed since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began some 17 months ago.
In recent days, there have been reports of an escalation in violence in many towns and villages, as well as the country’s two biggest cities, Damascus and Aleppo.
As part of his efforts, Annan put forward a six-point peace plan to help end the Syrian crisis.
The plan called for an end to violence, access for humanitarian agencies to provide relief to those in need, the release of detainees, the start of inclusive political dialogue, and unrestricted access to the country for the international media.
“The hand extended to turn away from violence in favour of dialogue and diplomacy – as spelled out in the six-point plan – has not been not taken, even though it still remains the best hope for the people of Syria,” the UN scribed added.
He noted that both the Syrian government and the opposition forces continue to demonstrate their determination to rely on ever-increasing violence, and that, in addition, “persistent divisions” within the Security Council have themselves become an obstacle to diplomacy, making the work of any mediator vastly more difficult.
