UN General Assembly
2006

Eliasson, for his remarkable work, especially in the area of advancing reform of the United Nations. Words are insufficient to pay tribute to outgoing Secretary- General Kofi Annan. A very special son of Africa, he has been an extraordinary leader of our Organization. He has worked unceasingly, showing enormous vision and great courage. No challenge has been too large or too dangerous. My country and I owe a special debt of gratitude to the Secretary-General, whose intervention 27 06-52885 during a 2003 coup attempt helped preserve democracy in Sao Tome and Principe. My people and I thank him. We can only hope that his successor will prove as praiseworthy as he. We are meeting here today at a time of growing international tension and of increased terrorist attacks on innocent civilians on every continent. We see unending conflicts, even genocide. Never have we needed the United Nations more than at this time, when life as we know it on our planet is threatened by climate change. It is tragic that in the face of all these