Meles Zenawi died from an unspecified infection, spokesman Bereket Simon said. Deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn is now in charge. No next election is likely to held before 2015.
Although Meles died out of the country and members of his family were with him, it is not disclosed where he died but he would be taken back to his country soon.
The spokesman acknowledged the prime minister had been sick for some time, but didn't immediately seek treatment.
The news came almost a week after the government said Meles was "recovering well" from treatment for an unspecified illness.
Meles, 57, came to power two decades ago and was considered a strong force in Ethopian politics although there has been controversy over his political status.
His absence was more evident last month when Ethiopia hosted an African Union summit in its capital of Addis Ababa. Zenawi, who was expected to play a key role was unable to attend the meeting.
Ethiopia has been a key Western ally often lauded for effective use of aid money, is surrounded by unstable nations such as Somalia and Sudan. Meles has been credited with working toward peace and security in the region.
Meles, a former guerrilla leader, is part of a group that toppled dictator Haile Mengustu Mariam in 1991. The politician is credited with economic progress and maintaining peace in the nation surrounded by volatile countries.
However,his government has been accused by human right groups of a series of abuses, including limiting press freedoms and cracking down on opposition political parties.
Although Meles died out of the country and members of his family were with him, it is not disclosed where he died but he would be taken back to his country soon.
The spokesman acknowledged the prime minister had been sick for some time, but didn't immediately seek treatment.
The news came almost a week after the government said Meles was "recovering well" from treatment for an unspecified illness.Meles, 57, came to power two decades ago and was considered a strong force in Ethopian politics although there has been controversy over his political status.
His absence was more evident last month when Ethiopia hosted an African Union summit in its capital of Addis Ababa. Zenawi, who was expected to play a key role was unable to attend the meeting.
Ethiopia has been a key Western ally often lauded for effective use of aid money, is surrounded by unstable nations such as Somalia and Sudan. Meles has been credited with working toward peace and security in the region.
Meles, a former guerrilla leader, is part of a group that toppled dictator Haile Mengustu Mariam in 1991. The politician is credited with economic progress and maintaining peace in the nation surrounded by volatile countries.
However,his government has been accused by human right groups of a series of abuses, including limiting press freedoms and cracking down on opposition political parties.
No comments:
Post a Comment