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Kofi Annan death: World leaders honour former UN chief

19 August 2018 07:08 am - 8     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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World figures have been paying tribute to former UN secretary-general and Nobel laureate Kofi Annan, who has died at the age of 80.

Current UN chief Antonio Guterres hailed him as "a guiding force for good" and Russian President Vladimir Putin described a "remarkable person".

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said Kofi Annan was a visionary leader whose work reshaped international efforts to ensure peace and stability across the world. Generations to come will benefit from his hard work.

Ex-US President Barack Obama said Annan had always pursued "a better world".

The Ghanaian national served as UN chief from 1997 to 2006 and is the only black African ever to hold the post.

Since then he has served as the UN special envoy for Syria, leading efforts to find a solution to the conflict.

The career diplomat died in hospital in the Swiss city of Bern. He had been living near Geneva for several years.

He "passed away peacefully on Saturday after a short illness", the Kofi Annan Foundation said.

He was a "deeply committed internationalist who fought throughout his life for a fairer and more peaceful world", the statement added.

Mr Guterres led the tributes to his predecessor. "In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations. He rose through the ranks to lead the organisation into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination," he said in a statement.

UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a tweet he was grief-stricken over Annan's death:

Mr Obama, the first African American to win the White House, said: "Long after he had broken barriers, Kofi never stopped his pursuit of a better world."

President Putin said the memory of Annan would "forever live in the hearts of Russians".

Meanwhile, Indian PM Narendra Modi said "the world has lost not only a great African diplomat and humanitarian but also a conscience keeper of international peace and security".


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  Comments - 8

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  • ANTON Sunday, 19 August 2018 09:23 AM

    YET ANOTHER FOREIGN TOUR TO SOME OF OUR POLITIKKAS.

    upali Sunday, 19 August 2018 10:17 AM

    During his time as a director of operation in the UN, ( not the secretary General ) his action caused the genocide of HUTUs in Ruwanda.

    Nalini Sunday, 19 August 2018 10:37 AM

    He never bothered to sort out the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka.

    Zuh Sunday, 19 August 2018 12:13 PM

    The post of UN Sec gen has always been a puppet of colonialism

    Ash Sunday, 19 August 2018 07:29 PM

    Indeed a remarkable man. RIP Sir.

    truthbetold Monday, 20 August 2018 09:36 AM

    There is no history of any single UN secretary General sorting out ethnic problems of any single country that are caused by the politics of racial and religious hatred by each of those countries politicians’ who came to be in power.

    idroos Monday, 20 August 2018 09:45 AM

    He earned the wrath of UNCLE SAM when he announced" Sad day for the free world " When bastard Criminals Bush Blair Howard Aznar Netantahu started their bastard Iraq War without UN sanctions.Rest In Glory Sir

    Jude Monday, 20 August 2018 10:04 AM

    UN chiefs always being puppet of Americans!!


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