First African to occupy post of UN Secretary General and later on Secretary General of the International Organisation of the Francophonie.
Since Tuesday, February 16, 2016, the world is mourning Boutros Boutros- Ghali, who acceded to the prestigious post of the Secretary General of the United Nations Organisation (UNO) in 1992 and ruled up to 1997.
The members of the International Organisation of the Francophonie are particularly touched by the departure of the 93-year old Boutros Boutros-Ghali. The same year 1997, he left the UN top job, the Egyptian politician was voted the first General Secretary of the organization. He occupied the post from 1997 to 2002.
The respected international political figure was born on November 14, 1922 into a wealthy family in the Coptic Christian Community in the capital, Cairo. He obtained a law decree in 1946 at Cairo University and later on earned a doctorate in international law from the Paris University in 1949. On return to Egypt, he spent 28 years in the academia during which he is noted for the publication of over 100 articles on foreign policy problems and at least 12 books.
In 1977 he left the academia when President Anwar Sadat appointed him Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. In May 1991 President Husni Mubarak promoted him to deputy Prime Minister for International Affairs and Minister of State for Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates. Boutros-Ghali service to Egypt ended in January 1992 when he became the UN Secretary General. He is noted to become the world’s leading spokesman for post- Cold War internationalism.
Boutros-Ghali used his position to summon all countries and governments belatedly to fulfill the original 1945 UN Charter pledge of an integrated global system and, accordingly, championed the UN organization and its affiliate specialized agencies in promoting the cause of international peace and common security, economic development, and human rights through multilateral cooperation.
Boutros Boutros-Ghali was from a family of renowned leaders as his grandfather, Boutros Ghali Pasha was Prime Minister of Egypt from 1908 to 1910. His father Yusuf also served as a one time Egypt’s Finance Minister.
