Former UN chief Kofi Annan dies at 80

Former United Nations  Secretary-General and Nobel Laureate Kofi Annan has died after a brief illness, aged 80.

“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,” his foundation said in a statement.

“His wife Nane and their children Ama, Kojo and Nina were by his side during his last days,” it said.

Current UN chief Antonio Guterres voiced deep sadness at the news, describing his predecessor as “a guiding force for good”.

The Ghanaian national, who lived in Switzerland, was a career diplomat who projected quiet charisma and is widely credited for raising the world body’s profile in global politics during his two terms as UN chief, from 1997 to 2006.

He was the first secretary-general from sub-Saharan Africa.

Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with the UN in 2001 “for their work for a better organised and more peaceful world”.

In his statement Saturday, Guterres said that “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,” Guterres said.

“Like so many, I was proud to call Kofi Annan a good friend and mentor.”