By Iliya Kure
Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has died. He died aged 80 in the early hours of Saturday in Swiss capital, Bern.
“It is with immense sadness that the Annan family and the Kofi Annan Foundation announce that Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Laureate, passed away peacefully on Saturday 18th August after a short illness,” says a post on Kofi Annan Foundation on its Twitter page.
The Kofi Annan Foundation tweet described him as a “global statesman and deeply committed internationalist who fought throughout his life for a fairer and more peaceful world”.
“Wherever there was suffering or need, he reached out and touched many people with his deep compassion and empathy. He selflessly placed others first, radiating genuine kindness, warmth and brilliance in all he did.”
He served as the seventh UN Secretary General for almost 10 years, from 1997 to 2006.
Annan’s tenure as UN secretary-general coincided with the Iraq War.
He later served as the UN special envoy for Syria, leading efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
The tweet below;
