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Doha – Horst Köhler, former German president and UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for the Western Sahara, died Saturday morning in Berlin after a short illness, surrounded by his family. He was 81.
Köhler served as the UN’s Sahara envoy from 2017 until May 2019, when he stepped down for health reasons. His diplomatic mission began with a major meeting with King Mohammed VI at the royal palace in Rabat in October 2017, shortly after his appointment in August of that year.
Taking over from American diplomat Christopher Ross, whom Morocco had accused of bias towards Algeria and Polisario, Köhler embarked on a comprehensive regional tour that included visits to the Polisario-run Tindouf camps and meetings with Algerian officials.
The following year, in 2018, he conducted extensive visits to Morocco’s southern provinces, including Laayoune, Smara, and Dakhla.
Following these visits, he expressed satisfaction with the region’s development, particularly noting the economic and social progress achieved under Morocco’s Southern Development Model.
“I am satisfied with this visit during which I met many people and visited different places,” Köhler stated during his departure from Laayoune.
He emphasized that a final settlement of the Sahara issue would attract more investment to the region and create jobs, especially for youth.
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During his tenure, he made significant contributions to advancing negotiations on the Western Sahara issue. He also demonstrated steadfast commitment to finding a realistic solution to the artificial regional dispute.
Morocco expressed regret at his departure, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs praising “the constancy, availability and professionalism with which Mr. Köhler fulfilled his duties,” while reiterating its commitment to achieving a realistic, pragmatic and durable political solution based on the Autonomy Initiative.
His diplomatic work on the Sahara issue also received recognition from various international actors.
In June 2019, France’s then Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian appreciated Köhler’s efforts, pointing out the importance of the negotiation process he had initiated. Today, France officially recognizes Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Before his UN appointment, Köhler had a distinguished career in international finance and German politics.
Born on February 22, 1943, in Nazi-occupied Poland to ethnic German farmers, he served as the head of the International Monetary Fund and later became German president from 2004 to 2010.
During his presidency, he built considerable popularity among Germans, positioning himself as an outsider to the country’s political elite.
US Treasury Secretary John Snow praised his IMF leadership, noting that “he transformed the institution in terms of its transparency… and worked to develop better crisis prevention tools.”
Current German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in a letter of condolence to Köhler’s wife, Eva Louise, wrote: “Many people in our country will mourn with you. For in Horst Köhler we have lost a highly esteemed and extremely popular person who achieved great things — for our country and in the world.”
