Kofi Annan dies at 80 after 'short illness'; family of former UN chief says he 'passed away peacefully'

Former chief of the United Nations Kofi Annan died on Saturday at the age of 80 after a “short illness”. “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, 18 August, after a short illness,” read an official statement on his Twitter page. “Kofi Annan was a global statesman and a deeply committed internationalist who fought throughout his life for a fairer and more peaceful world,” it added. “During his distinguished career and leadership of the United Nations, he was an ardent champion of peace, sustainable development, human rights and the rule of the law.”

Annan was the seventh secretary-general of the UN and held the post for nearly 10 years from 1997 to 2006. He also served as the UN special envoy for Syria, spearheading efforts to bring an end to the conflict. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 for his “work for a better organised and more peaceful world”.