Mikhail Gorbachev’s Statement on the Death of Nelson Mandela

It is with very great sadness that I learnt about the death of the extraordinary political leader and statesman, the first black President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. His death is a loss to the entire humanity.

I knew Nelson Mandela very well. He was an amazing man who lived a long and hard life, a third of which was spent in harsh prison conditions. However, he endured all the hardships that had befallen him with dignity. His contribution to the struggle against apartheid and its legacy was enormous. Nelson Mandela did a lot for humanity and he will be remembered not only by South Africans but by the entire human race.

Mikhail Gorbachev

6 December 2013