United Nations, March 20 (IANS) The death of Nepal's former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala was 'a huge loss for Nepal and its ongoing peace process', UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Saturday.

Koirala, who was also the head of the Nepali Congress party, passed away Saturday after multi-organ failures at the age of 85.

According to a statement issued by his press office, Ban called Koirala' s death 'a huge loss for Nepal and its ongoing peace process'.

'As a friend of the United Nations and a staunch believer in its ideals and principles, Mr. Koirala will be remembered as a strong voice of multilateralism and global cooperation,' he said.

Ban described Koirala as 'a pioneer of Nepal's labour and democratic movement of the 20th century, who fought fearlessly and at considerable personal sacrifice for justice and democratic rights in his country', Xinhua reported.

'His courageous and resolute leadership played a central role in the People's Movement of 2005-2006 and to the ending of the 10-year armed conflict,' he said.