Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who ruled for over two decades, died in hospital in Brussels late Monday after a long illness, officials said yesterday.
Mr Meles who was 57 years old died at a hospital in the Belgian capital, Brussels. His body was flown back to the capital, Addis Ababa yesterday and a period of national mourning has been announced. European Commission spokesman Olivier Bailly said Meles had died in Brussels.
"Prime Minister Meles Zenawi passed away yesterday evening at around midnight," said government spokesman Bereket Simon, adding he had been "struggling to be healthy in the last year."
"He had been recuperating well, but suddenly something happened and he had to be rushed to the ICU (intensive care unit) and they couldn't keep him alive," he said, adding that 47 year old Deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who has also been foreign minister since 2010, had been appointed acting prime minister.
Meles, a former rebel who came to power in 1991 after toppling Mengistu Haile Mariam, set Ethiopia on a path of rapid growth and played a key role in mediating regional conflicts, but also drew criticism for cracking down on opponents and curtailing human rights.
The late prime minister who was a key Western ally in a region home to Al-Qaeda-linked groups - had not been seen in public since the G20 summit in Mexico in June.
World leaders yesterday mourned his death with high praise. The African Union hailed Meles for his promotion of economic growth, as well as his role as peace-maker between Sudan and South Sudan and his support for the fight against Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab insurgents.
"The death of Prime Minister Meles has robbed Africa of one of its greatest sons," said AU commission chair Jean Ping's office in a statement.
"He has played an important role in pioneering a new era of hope and growth in Africa, driven as he was by the vision of Ethiopia and Africa's renaissance."
European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said Meles "demonstrated his strong personal commitment over many years to improving the lives of not just his own but all African peoples, through his work on African unity, climate change, development and in promoting peace and stability."
British Prime Minister David Ca-meron hailed Meles "as an inspirational spokesman for Africa on global issues" who had "provided leadership and vision on Somalia and Sudan", while French President Francois Hollande praised his "contribution to diplomatic efforts to advance peace in the Horn of Africa." South Sudan's Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said Meles had been key in mediating the country's post-secession rows with former civil war foe Sudan.
Daily Trust