The Secretary-General is delighted that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2008 has been awarded to Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, a long-standing United Nations colleague and ally in the cause of peace, development and human rights. He pays tribute to Mr. Ahtisaari's exceptional career in the service of the global community, with missions ranging from the former Yugoslavia to Namibia, the Horn of Africa and elsewhere, including his successful mediation to help achieve a peaceful settlement in Aceh between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement. The Secretary-General notes that, whether working inside or outside the United Nations, as President of Finland or on the international stage, Mr. Ahtisaari has never ceased to champion the principles and ideals of the Organization.