Cairo, Egypt - CCCPA mourns the death of Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) and the dean of Egypt’s diplomatic corps.

Dr. Boutros-Ghali, the first UN Secretary-General from Africa and the only Arab to ever lead the organization, is hailed for his role at the UN from 1992 to 1996, a period which saw unprecedented challenges during the turbulent years following the end of the Cold War. He ushered in major structural and organizational reforms at the UN, which continue to define the work of the organization till this very day. His 1992 report, “An Agenda for Peace”, boldly reasserted the role of the UN in the maintenance of international peace and security, and continues till this very day to be a reference, as well as a mark of his lasting legacy. It set the stage for strengthening the UN capacity for preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peacekeeping. It also introduced the concept of “peacebuilding”.

During his five years at the helm of the UN, Dr. Boutros-Ghali showed an undeniably strong leadership and an unmistakable commitment to the vision and mission of the UN. He fiercely fought for the independence of his office, and of the UN Secretariat as a whole. He also challenged member states to assume their responsibilities towards the peace, security and prosperity of the world.  

Before serving at the helm of the UN, Dr. Boutros-Ghali had a long career in international diplomacy; he served as Egypt's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs from 1977 until May 1991 when became Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs for several months before joining the UN. During those years, he was widely recognized as a champion of Africa and a leading voice in debates about the future of the continent. Following his one term at the UN, Dr. Boutros-Ghali went on to lead the International Organization of La Francophonie and Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights.

A jurist, an intellectual, a scholar, a widely published author and a parliamentarian, Dr. Boutros-Ghali was a towering world figure of international affairs, development, and human rights.

It is with deep sadness and sorrow that we bid farewell to Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali: statesman, leader and son of Egypt. We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his family, the people of Egypt, the Arab world, Africa, and indeed the whole world.

Photo Credit - Flickr _UNU-WIDER