AMN
Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan died in Switzerland today. He was 80. The Kofi Annan Foundation said, he passed away peacefully after a short illness. He was the first black African to become UN secretary-general.
Mr Annan served two terms as UN chief from 1997 to 2006. He later served as the UN special envoy for Syria, leading efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 for helping to revitalise the international body, during a period that coincided with the Iraq War and the HIV/Aids pandemic.
UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said, he was grief-stricken over Annan’s death.
“In these turbulent and trying times, he never stopped working to give life to the values of the United Nations Charter. His legacy will remain a true inspiration for all of us.”
— @AntonioGuterres on the passing of @KofiAnnan, 18 Aug 2018 pic.twitter.com/dLdnBOJFLF— United Nations (@UN) August 18, 2018
Kofi Annan was a guiding force for good. I join the world in mourning his loss. In these turbulent and trying times, his legacy as a global champion for peace will remain a true inspiration for us all. https://t.co/psJ9viPIeu pic.twitter.com/SKfBk5zaY2
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 18, 2018