Indonesia Mourns Death of Koffi Annan, Sends Official Condolence
19 August 2018 13:12 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi conveyed the condolences of the Indonesian public following the death of former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan at the age of 80 years old.
“Kofi Annan was a caring figure and a forward thinker, an individual who we will certainly remember. Rest in peace Annan,” said Minister Retno Marsudi at Jakarta on Saturday, August 18.
Kofi Annan, who was the first black African man taking the position as UN Secretary General, died in the early hours of Saturday after suffering a short illness. According to the official statement from the Kofi Annan Foundation, Annan was treated at the Bern Hospital in Swiss prior to his passing.
“I lost a friend and a partner that I could engage in international issue discussions. I learned many things regarding peace and humanity from Kofi Annan,” said Retno.
Minister Retno Marsudi and Kofi Annan had communicated intensively as mediators during the Myanmar humanitarian issue in 2017 which involved the conflict between the government and the people of Rohingya.
Kofi Annan had also visited Indonesia during the ninth Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) as one of the forum’s key speaker where he acknowledged and praised the Indonesian motto of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika or Unity in Diversity.
ANTARA