Egypt holds funeral for Boutros-Ghali

A funeral has been held in the Egyptian Capital, Cairo, for late UN Chief Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

Held to a great fanfare, the event celebrated Ghali, who died Tuesday at age 93. He was the first African to hold the prestigious post of UN Secretary General.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attended the military-themed funeral alongside other important dignitaries.

Shown on live state television, it was held in the grounds of the mosque Marshal Tantawi, in the outskirts of the capital.

Several politicians, European and African diplomats were also in attendance.

A great connoisseur of international relations, he chaired the UN from 1992 to 1996. As UN Chief, he contended with conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Somalia, the Middle East and the genocide in Rwanda.

In late 1996, he had to leave the head of the international organization after the struggle of the US against his reelection.

Ghali was a small-son of an Egyptian prime minister assassinated in 1910 by a nationalist.