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20 September 2006

Two TEDsters in the race to succeed Kofi Annan

Last week, the list of potential successors to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan - he will step down at the end of his second five-year term, on December 31st - seemed to have narrowed down to two names: South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon and the current Undersecretary-General Shashi Tharoor, from India - a TEDster: he spoke at TED2005, presenting the TEDPrize recipients with the award and noting that "problems without passport" continue threatening many human lives. Tharoor is also a well-regarded author.

Ashrafghanitedglobal05 But another candidate just signalled that he will join the race: Ashraf Ghani, the former Finance Minister of Afghanistan - also a TEDster. Ghani has significant UN and World Bank credentials, and he was one of the strongest voices at last year's TEDGLOBAL in Oxford (picture right), where he offered an articulate vision and impressed everyone speaking about the need to mobilize capital and encourage investments in developing countries: "One dollar of investment has the same impact as $20 of aid", he said (we will soon release his full speech on TEDtalks). That's a powerful, reform-oriented statement. Whether it's also a good electoral platform for getting the top U.N. job, however, remains to be seen.  

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Discuss Blog Post

  • bhaskar September 24 2006

    i should say that this is one of most informative blogs i have ever visited.

    i am very much interested to attend u r sessions.

    I would like to know if you are planning these in UK..

  • Sean Park September 21 2006

    I was fortunate to have listened to and briefly meet Ashraf at TED in Oxford. I remember his vivid and passionate vision and was impressed even though I didn't agree with all of his positions and ideas, overall I thought he had a pragmatic and refreshing (in the context of multi-lateral institutions) attitude. So I'd vote for him. Then again I don't think I'm the demographic he will need to win over to get the job...but for what it is worth "Good luck!"


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