REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi has offered her condolences, on behalf of the government and people of Indonesia, over the demise of former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan on Saturday. Annan passed away peacefully after a short illness, according to a statement made by a foundation named after him on Saturday.

"I have lost a dear friend and partner in discussing international issues, former UN secretary general, as well as a Nobel Peace Laureate Annan," noted Marsudi on a statement received here on Saturday.

Annan became the seventh secretary general and the first black African to hold the job. The Nobel Peace Laureate in 2001 died in a hospital in the Swiss city of Bern. He had been living in Geneva for several years.

"The world has lost a top-notch diplomat as well as a peace fighter today. Rest in peace Mr. Annan," Marsudi remarked.

In his capacity as a special envoy to end conflict in Rakhine State, Myanmar, Annan and Marsudi had been working closely to find a way to resolve it peacefully.

Annan had also visited Indonesia as one of prominent speakers in Indonesia-led Bali Democracy Forum in 2016. He lauded Indonesia's way of life called "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" or unity in diversity as a great example for the world.

"I thanked Indonesia for placing diversity and pluralism as important entities to unite, 'Bhinneka Tunggal Ika'," he remarked at the 9th Bali Democracy Forum, two years ago.

During his visit to Indonesia in 2016, Annan had also met Indonesia's President Joko Widodo and discussed various regional and international issues.

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