Germany’s former president Horst Köhler, who served as head of state from 2004 to 2010 and was a strong advocate for Africa, passed away on Saturday at the age of 81 after a brief illness.
“With the death of Horst Köhler, we have lost a highly esteemed and extremely popular figure who achieved great things—for our country and the world,” President Frank-Walter Steinmeier wrote in a letter to Köhler’s widow.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised Köhler on X as a “committed politician who dedicated his life to a fairer world.”

He died in Berlin in the early hours, surrounded by family.
An economist by training, Köhler was the first German president without a background in professional politics.
Before his presidency, he led the International Monetary Fund in Washington and held senior roles in the civil service and banking.
Köhler became Germany’s head of state—a largely ceremonial role—after being nominated by then opposition leader Angela Merkel, who later became chancellor.
Steinmeier noted that Köhler was “virtually unknown” at the time of his election but soon earned “widespread recognition and affection.”
Re-elected for a second term in 2009, Köhler resigned in May 2010 after controversial remarks in an interview that were seen as endorsing military deployments abroad to protect German trade interests.
‘Land of Ideas’
Köhler frequently highlighted Germany’s strengths, promoting it as a “land of ideas” with the creativity and energy to shape its own future and contribute positively to the world.
His foreign policy focus was particularly strong on Africa, a continent he visited frequently.
“He never tired of emphasising Africa’s importance and potential for global development,” wrote Sven Behnke, the head of the former president’s office.
“For him, engaging with Africa was not only wise and forward-thinking but also an ethical duty.”
From 2017 to 2019, Köhler served as the UN’s envoy to Western Sahara, leading diplomatic efforts to resolve the long-standing conflict between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front.
In 2012, he was also part of a UN panel advising on the global development agenda beyond 2015.
Steinmeier paid tribute, saying Köhler had “given so much” to Germany and would be remembered as “a stroke of luck for our country.”