PHL mourns passing of ex-UN secretary general Kofi Annan

The Philippine government on Sunday expressed condolences and mourned the passing of former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.

"The Philippines joins the international community in mourning the passing of a statesman, diplomat, and peacemaker—Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate," Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement.

"The Philippines will remember Kofi Annan for his unwavering commitment to multilateralism that reinvigorated the United Nations and brought peace to places around the world that have been torn apart by conflict," he added.

Cayetano also said Annan will be remembered by the country for initiatives he spearheaded such as "the UN Global Compact, the Millennium Summit, the Global Fund, and UN reform that helped shape today’s international environment."

He also called Annan "a champion of humanity."

"His dignity, vision, and determination has made our world a better place to live in. For that, the Philippines will forever be grateful," Cayetano said.

Annan, a former Nobel Peace Prize laureate, died Saturday in Bern, Switzerland at the age of 80.

A Ghanaian national, he retired in Geneva after serving two terms as UN secretary general.

World leaders have expressed their condolences, calling him a guiding force for good, a great leader and reformer of the UN, and a diplomat extraordinaire. —KG, GMA News