President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his deep sadness at the passing of Former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari.
Ahtisaari passed away at the age of 86 on Monday.
In a statement, President Ramaphosa said President Ahtisaari was a well-respected leader who received numerous accolades during his lifetime of service to humanity.
Ahtisaari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his role as an independent mediator and contribution to ending conflicts in Namibia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, and Indonesia.
He was also the founder of the conflict resolution foundation, Crisis Management Institute – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, and was a member of the Elders, a group of former senior world leaders founded by the late former President Nelson Mandela.
President Ramaphosa recalled his time working with Ahtisaari as inspectors in the decommissioning of weapons process in Northern Ireland during the years 2000 and 2001.
“Martti had a wonderful sense of humour, which helped tremendously as we travelled the Irish countryside counting weapons and placing plastic seal strappings through and around them,” President Ramaphosa said.
He added that they were always aligned in their thinking and were able to finish each other’s sentences.
President Ramaphosa said that the world will remember Ahtisaari as a man of peace, a tough negotiator who displayed great compassion and deep respect for people.
He joined the many voices around the world in extending his condolences to President Ahtisaari’s wife, Eeva, their son Marko, and the people of Finland.
President @CyrilRamaphosa has expressed his deep and profound sadness at the passing of Former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari, who died at the age of 86 on 16 October 2023. https://t.co/phboA15e0e pic.twitter.com/9hripETbM2
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) October 18, 2023
