Kofi Annan dies, world leaders mourn

The Foundation tweeted: "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."

As per United Nations, Annan died after a 'short illness'.

The United Nations said it is mourning the death of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who passed away peacefully after a short illness, according to a statement published on his official Twitter account on Saturday.

The renowned Ghanain diplomat was 80 years old.

The current UN chief, Antonio Guterres hailed him as “a guiding force for good” and a “proud son of Africa who became a global champion for peace and all humanity.”

“Like so many, I was proud to call Kofi Annan a good friend and mentor. I was deeply honoured by his trust in selecting me to serve as UN High Commissioner for Refugees under his leadership. He remained someone I could always turn to for counsel and wisdom — and I know I was not alone,” Mr. Guterres said in a statement.

“He provided people everywhere with a space for dialogue, a place for problem-solving and a path to a better world.  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 us.”

World leaders mourn:

Several world leaders joined to mourn the death of the Ghanaian leader.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar tweeted: "Very sorry to hear about the passing of former @UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. A great multilateralist and advocate for peace and justice around the world. #RIP."

Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev remembered him and said he always sought to end armed conflict.

"Kofi Annan has passed away – a legendary UN Secretary General and Nobel Peace Prize winner. He always sought to put an end to armed conflict, to make fighting stop and negotiations begin. A peacekeeper of his stature will be sorely missed," the PM said.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said Annan will be always remembered as a humanitarian and a tireless advocate for peace.

"Sad to hear the news of the death of Kofi Annan. As a former UN secretary-general and Nobel Peace Laureate, he dedicated his life to human rights and building bridges between nations. He will always be remembered as a great humanitarian and a tireless advocate for peace," he tweeted.

President of India Ram Nath Kovind tweeted: "Sorry to learn of the passing of former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan. My condolences to his family and to the UN community #PresidentKovind."

Indian PM Narendra Modi said: "Mr. Kofi Annan’s significant contribution to the MDGs will always be remembered. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this hour of grief. May his soul rest in peace."

Kofi Annan and UN:

Kofi Annan was born in Kamasi, Ghana, on 8 April 1938.

He joined the UN system in 1962 as an administrative and budget officer with the World Health Organization in Geneva, rising through the ranks to hold senior-level posts in areas such as budget and finance, and peacekeeping.

He served as UN Secretary-General for two consecutive five-year terms, beginning in January 1997.