New York, USA: The President of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr Danny Faure, as well as other world leaders, attended a ceremony at the United Nations Headquarters yesterday to pay tribute to the seventh Secretary General of the United Nations, the late Mr Kofi Annan, who passed on 20 August 2018.

At the ceremony, the current Secretary General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr Antonio Guterres, as well as other speakers, outlined Mr Annan's many accomplishments during his tenure; which included his endeavour to mobilise a coordinated global response to combatting the HIV AIDS epidemic, as well as his tireless efforts to realise the Millennium Development Goals (a concept fully embraced and implemented by the Republic of Seychelles). Both initiatives contributed greatly to lifting the world's most vulnerable people from poverty.

Mr Annan was described by his contemporaries as the quintessential diplomat, of razor sharp intellect, who was first and foremost a believer in the values of the United Nations Charter and rules-based international order. The tribute to the late Secretary General took place on the International Day of Peace, which was the most fitting occasion to celebrate his life and his philosophies of global peace and security.