Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari has died.

The tenth president of Finland, Nobel laureate Martti Ahtisaari, died on Monday, the Office of the President of Finland reported.

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“President Martti Ahtisaari died on October 16, 2023 at 6:40 am in Helsinki. President Ahtisaari was 86 years old at the time of his death,” the statement said.

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Martti Ahtisaari served as President of the Republic of Finland from 1994-2000. He was the tenth President of Finland. Prior to his presidency, he held a number of important positions in the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations. After his presidency, Ahtisaari founded the peace mediation organization CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation and worked in international peace negotiations and mediation positions. In recognition of his many years of work for peace, President Ahtisaari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008.

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“We are deeply saddened by the news of the death of President Martti Ahtisaari. Martti Ahtisaari believed in people, civilization and goodness and lived a great, wonderful life. He was the president of the times of change that brought Finland into the global era of the EU,” the President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö said.