Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan, then United Nations Secretary-General, used the phrase in his year-end press conference on 21 December 2004. He reflected, "There's no doubt that this has been a particularly difficult year, and I am relieved that this annus horribilis is coming to an end." His remarks were widely interpreted as alluding to persistent allegations of corruption in the UN's Iraq Oil-for-Food Program. His remarks came just days before the deadliest event of the year, the Indian Ocean tsunami on December 26.
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