Kenneth Dadzie

UNCTAD

Dadzie became the Director-General for Development and International Economic Cooperation within UNCTAD between 1978 and 1982. He became the fifth Secretary-General of UNCTAD on 1 January 1986. He was the first African to serve in this capacity. He is credited by UNCTAD as having been influential during his time in office in securing the adoption of the Final Act of UNCTAD VII in Geneva which helped establish "consensus on international development cooperation thereby breaking through the barriers of the North-South divide." He was also instrumental in the organisation adopting a "New Partnership for Development" at UNCTAD VIII in 1992 in Cartagena, Colombia. A special meeting of the Economic and Social Council was held during which tributes were paid to his immense contribution to the United Nations and especially UNCTAD.