Dushanbe, 09.06.2016. /NIAT “Khovar”/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded the Order of Friendship to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, TASS News Agency reports.

The order has been given to the UN chief ‘for special merits in strengthening peace, friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding between people,» a decree on the official portal of legal information said.

Ban Ki-moon first took office as the UN chief on Jan. 1, 2007, and he was re-elected for another five-year term in office starting from Jan. 1, 2012.