Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) and Nobel Peace Laureate, passed away at the age of 80, the Kofi Annan Foundation announced on Saturday.

The news of his death was also announced on his official twitter account:

According to the statement released by the foundation, 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."

Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo declared a week of mourning to pay homage to the former UN chief.

In a statement, Akufo-Addo described Annan as a “consummate” diplomat" and added that he was “deeply saddened" by the news of his death.

UN Secretary-General of the UN Antonio Guterres also voiced deep sorrow at the news, calling Annan “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,” Guterres said in a statement shortly after the news broke.

Annan spent virtually his entire career as an administrator in the United Nations. He served two terms as secretary-general from 1997 to 2006, capped nearly mid-way when he and the UN were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.

He also spent time as the UN special envoy for Syria. Annan led efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict.

The Foreign Office (FO) issued a press release stating that the government and people of Pakistan are deeply saddened at "the passing away of a great son of Africa and an international statesman".

"He was one of the leading icons of cooperative multilateralism," the statement reads.

Acknowledging Annan's "enduring contributions to global peace and security, development and respect for human rights" the statement also recognises that "he served the United Nations with grace and wisdom in the face of complex challenges" and that in doing so "he inspired a whole generation of diplomats and leaders across the world".