Former UN chief Kofi Annan has died

Former United Nations Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kofi Annan has died.

This was announced by the Kofi Annan Foundation said on Saturday.

Annan, from Ghana, died in hospital in Bern, Switzerland, in the early hours of Saturday, two close associates said. He was 80.

In a statement posted on Twitter, the Kofi Annan Foundation and Mr Annan's family announced that the Nobel Laureate passed away after a short illness.

His wife Nane and their children Ama, Kojo and Nina were by his side during his last days," read the statement.

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 law."

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... pic.twitter.com/42nGOxmcPZ

— Kofi Annan (@KofiAnnan) August 18, 2018

Annan served two terms as U.N. Secretary-General in New York from 1997-2006 and retired in Geneva and later lived in a Swiss village in the nearby countryside.

In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations. He rose through the ranks to lead the organization into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whom Annan had chosen to head the U.N. refugee agency, said in a statement.

As far as Cyprus is concerned, Annan’s name has been immortalised on what is known as the Annan plan, the 2004 UN-backed solution to the Cyprus problem, which was worked out in Burgenstock, Switzerland earlier that year. 

At the time, the Annan plan of 2002 to 2004 was the UN’s most concerted and detailed attempt to reach a federal solution to the Cyprus problem. The plan was supported by much of the international community. There was strong backing in particular from the EU because Cyprus, represented internationally by the Greek Cypriots, was set to join the bloc in 2004. The EU was keen to see the island re-united first.

However, in twin referendums on 24 April 2004, Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly rejected the Annan plan, with 75.8 per cent voting against, while Turkish Cypriots accepted it, with 64.9 per cent in favour.

On Saturday Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci tweeted his condolences saying:

I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family and the loved ones of the former UNSG Kofi Annan for his passing away. His dedication for a better and peaceful world as well as his great efforts for a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus will always be remembered. RIP.

"HUMANITY'S BEST EXAMPLE"
Born in Kumasi, the capital city of Ghana's Ashanti region, Mr Annan was the son of an executive of a European trading company, the United Africa company, a subsidiary of the Anglo-Dutch multinational Unilever.

After ending his second term as UN chief, Annan went on to take high-profile mediation roles in Kenya and in Syria.

He later set up a foundation devoted to conflict resolution and joined the Elders group of statesmen which regularly speaks out on global issues.