THE first black African to take up the post of United Nations' (UN) secretary-general Kofi Annan, has passed away.
He was 80.
In a statement, the Annan family and the Kofi Annan Foundation said the Nobel Peace Laureate passed away peacefully on Saturday after a short illness.
"His wife Nane and their children Ama, Kojo and Nina were by his side during his last days," the statement posted on Annan's official Twitter account read.
Annan will be greatly missed by many around the world, the statement said, including his staff at the Foundation and his former colleagues in the UN system.
"He will remain in our hearts forever.
"The family kindly requests privacy at this time of mourning. Arrangements to celebrate his remarkable life will be announced later."
Fluent in English, French and several African languages, Annan was born in Ghana before it gained independence from the United Kingdom (UK). At the time, it was known as the Gold Coast.
Annan married Nane Maria Lagergren in 1984 and the two have three children together. He was previously married to Titi Alakija.
He served as the seventh UN secretary-general from 1997 to 2006.