Boutros Boutrous-Ghali, an Egyptian man who once presided over the United Nations as its Secretary General in the 1990s died today after suffering numerous health problems in Cairo.

He was 93.

The head of the preeminent global council from 1992 to 1996, Boutros-Ghali dealt with war in Europe, famine and genocide in Africa, the Camp David accords on the Middle East and more. According to those closest to him, he enjoyed cigar every once in a while with some Scotch to boot. He also loved the French painter Henri Matisse.

He was the UN’s first post-Cold War secretary-general.

Boutros-Ghali also had very little love for Bill Clinton and his presidential administration.

This from Reuters:

The 15-member U.N. Security Council observed a minute’s silence after his death was announced.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement praising Boutros-Ghali for leading the organization through “one of the most tumultuous and challenging periods in its history.”

“He showed courage in posing difficult questions to the member states and rightly insisted on the independence of his office and of the secretariat as a whole,” Ban said.

Boutros-Ghali came from a wealthy family with an impressive political lineage and he bridged several realms. As an Egyptian, he was able to claim to be both Arab and African. He was a Coptic Christian from a mainly Muslim country and married an Egyptian Jew, who converted to his religion.

He also appeared on television shows once in a while. Like the following one.

Who could forget this one?