People across Africa are expressing shock and sorrow over the death of Ghanaian-born Kofi Annan, the first black African to become UN secretary-general. His death at age 80 was announced Saturday.
"We are devastated," the Nelson Mandela Foundation says in a statement. "Africa and the world has lost a special human being." Annan had been chair of The Elders, an elite group of former leaders founded by Mandela.
African leaders including Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are offering condolences.
Nigeria's Amina Mohammed, the UN deputy secretary general, says in a tweet that Annan "gave hope to the voiceless" and she calls him "my friend, my hero, my inspiration."
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