Former United Nations Secretary-General, Koffi Annan has died at the age of 80. Mr Annan who was also a Nobel Peace Prize winner died in Switzerland after a brief illness.

His foundation made the announcement in a statement on Saturday morning.

According to them , “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”.

The United Nations Chief Antonio Guterres has expressed sadness over the passing away of his predecessor, calling him “a guiding force for good”.

Mr Guterres in a statement said, “Kofi Annan was a guiding force for good.

“In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations. He rose through the ranks to lead the organisation into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination,” he added.

Mr Annan was the first black African to take up the role of the world’s top diplomat, serving two terms as the UN Secretary-General from 1997 to 2006.