Kofi Annan, Ex-UN Sec Gen, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Dies at 80

The world responded to the death of former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday with a torrent of tributes, with leaders of various political hues extoling the virtues of the man who was widely recognised as one of the most influential international diplomats.
Annan died Saturday morning at a hospital in Switzerland after a short illness, the Annan family and the Kofi Annan Foundation said in a statement. The statement said Annan was “global statesman and a deeply committed internationalist who fought throughout his life for a fairer and more peaceful world.”

It said the Ghanaian-born diplomat, Nobel Prize winner, and first black African to lead the UN “felt a special responsibility towards Africa. He was deeply committed to African development and deeply engaged in many initiatives” for the advancement of the continent.”
The statement said, “The family kindly requests privacy at this time of mourning. Arrangements to celebrate his remarkable life will be announced later.”