The former President of Mozambique Joachim Chissano has been named as the first winner of the Mo Ibrahim prize for Achievement in African Leadership. The results were announced in London today by the former Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan who chaired the committee that selected the winner.

Alongside Kofi Annan on the selection committee were Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland; Aïcha Bah Diallo, former Minister of Education in Guinea and Special Adviser to the Director-General of UNESCO; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Nigerian Finance Minister and Managing Director, World Bank ; Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland; Salim Ahmed Salim, former Prime Minister of Tanzania and former Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity.

The Prize was open to any African leader who had left office in the last three years and amongst the contenders were Matthew Kerekou of Benin Republic, Sam Nujoma of Namibia, Albert Rene of Seychelles, Domitien Ndayizeye of Burundi and Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania. The committee eventually selected Chissano citing his achievements in bringing peace, reconciliation, stable democracy and economic progress to Mozambique and stepping down without seeking the third term the constitution allowed.

Chissano who turned 58 yesterday came to power in 1986 after his successor the first President of an independent Mozambique Samora Michel died in airplane crash. He was democratically elected in 1994 and 1999 but opted to stand down at the end of the second term.

The prize which is the brain child of Sudanese born Telecommunications millionaire awards the winner an initial $5 million spread over 10 years and a further $200,000 annually for life thereafter.