Secretary-General pays tribute to Nelson Mandela

UN report said that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed profound sadness at the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela who died on Thursday. He was 95 years old.

"I am profoundly saddened by the passing of Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela was a giant for justice and a down-to-earth human inspiration. Many around the world were greatly influenced by his selfless struggle for human dignity, equality and freedom. He touched our lives in deeply personal ways. At the same time, no one did more in our time to advance the values and aspirations of the United Nations. "

Nelson Mandela spent nearly three decades in prison for fighting against apartheid, the system of racial segregation in his native South Africa.

He was released in 1990 and four years later was inaugurated as the first democratically-elected President of the country, addressing the UN General Assembly that year. Mandela stepped down in 1999 after one term but continued to work for peace and human rights worldwide.