Shimon Peres was a respected statesman - Mahama

President John Mahama has paid tribute to late Israeli president Shimon Peres describing him as a respected statesman who worked endlessly for world peace.

Peres was the ninth president of Israel, serving from 2007 to 2014. He served twice as the Prime Minister of Israel and twice as Interim Prime Minister, and was a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years.

He won the Nobel Peace prize in 1994 for his role in negotiating peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier.

He once said the Palestinians were Israel's "closest neighbours" and might become its "closest friends".

Mr Peres died in a hospital near Tel Aviv early on Wednesday, September 28, with his family at his bedside after suffering from stroke.

He was 93.

Simon Peres. Respected statesman. Worked endlessly for world peace. I feel honoured to have met him last year. pic.twitter.com/e5fmRyzYcC

— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) September 28, 2016