World praises ‘diplomatic rock star’

– From his native Africa to the United States, tributes continued to pour in from around the world yesterday after former UN chief, Nobel peace laureate and “diplomatic rock star” Kofi Annan, pictured, died at age 80.

The Ghanaian national, a career diplomat, projected quiet charisma and was widely credited for raising the world body’s profile in global politics during his two terms as head of the UN from 1997 to 2006.

Annan’s family said he had

New York

died peacefully on Saturday after a short illness.

Annan died in a Berne hospital, Swiss media reported.

The UN said it would fly flags at half-mast at all of its locations around the world.

And Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo announced a week of mourning for “one of our greatest compatriots”.

Another Nobel laureate, retired South African archbishop Desmond Tutu, described Annan as “an outstanding human being who represented our continent and the world with enormous graciousness, integrity and distinction.” –