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Kofi Annan: 5 lessons I have learnt

Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General, retires at the end of the month after 10 years in the position.

He writes [in an op-ed piece in The Age] of 5 lessons he has learned as the "head" of the UN:

"Nearly 50 years ago, when I arrived in Minnesota as a student fresh from Africa, I had much to learn - starting with the fact that there is nothing wimpish about wearing earmuffs when it is 15 degrees below zero. All my life since has been a learning experience. Now I want to pass on five lessons I have learned during 10 years as Secretary-General of the United Nations that I believe the community of nations needs to learn as it confronts the challenges of the 21st century."

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