A billionaire 's foundation announced Thursday a one-off $ 1 million award to South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu for `` his lifelong commitment to speaking truth to power . '' The foundation , which promotes good governance in the continent , was established by Sudan-born billionaire Mo Ibrahim . An anti-apartheid leader and Nobel laureate , Tutu is an outspoken critic on issues affecting the continent and beyond . `` Tutu is and has throughout his life been one of Africa 's great voices for justice , freedom , democracy and responsible , responsive government , '' the Mo Ibrahim Foundation said in a statement . `` In everything he stands for , says and does , he displays a consistent determination to give a voice to the voiceless and to speak the uncomfortable truth . '' Last month , Tutu reiterated his calls that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former U.S. President George W. Bush should be `` made to answer '' at the International Criminal Court for initiating the 2003 Iraq War . At the time , the two leaders cited Iraq 's ambitions to develop weapons of mass destruction as reasons for the war . No significant caches of chemical or biological weapons were found after the invasion . Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 , and later chaired South Africa 's reconciliation commission to examine apartheid-era crimes . The London-based foundation also awards an annual $ 5 million prize to a former African head of state who practices good governance . Only a handful of leaders , including former South African President Nelson Mandela , have won the good governance award since it was launched in 2007 . The foundation did not award the prize on certain years , saying there were no qualified candidates .
Tutu has been outspoken on issues affecting the African continent and beyond . The Nobel laureate has called for arrests of George W. Bush , Tony Blair for the 2003 Iraq War . `` Tony Blair is ... one of Africa 's great voices for justice , '' foundation says .