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BBC-Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has died aged 57 after months of illness, the government says.
A spokesman said Mr Meles had died in a hospital abroad – but did not specify where or give details of his ailment.
Speculation about his health mounted when he missed an African Union summit in Addis Ababa last month.
Mr Meles took power as the leader of rebels that ousted communist leader Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991 and led the country’s economic transformation.
He was austere and hardworking, with a discipline forged from years spent in the guerrilla movement – and almost never smiled, says Elizabeth Blunt, the BBC’s former correspondent in Addis Ababa.
Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga told the BBC he feared for the stability of Ethiopia following Mr Meles’ death. He said the situation in the country was fragile and ethnic violence continued to be a threat.
Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers announced “with great sadness the untimely death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi” in a statement, state TV reported.
“The premier [had] been receiving medical treatment abroad for the past two months and his health was improving, but due to a sudden infection which occurred [on Sunday], he went back to hospital for emergency treatment, and even if a lot of medical attention was given by his doctors, he died yesterday [Monday] at around 23:40,” the statement said.
Deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who is also Ethiopia’s foreign minister, will be acting head of government, state television said.
Government spokesman Bereket Simon later told Reuters news agency Mr Meles had struggled with illness for a year.
But he insisted Ethiopia was stable and “everything will continue as charted” by the late prime minister.
This theme was echoed by state television, which stated that “even if Ethiopia has been badly affected for missing its great leader, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi initiated fundamental policies and strategies which will be further strengthened”.
It broadcast footage of Meles accompanied by solemn instrumental music.
Mr Meles had not been seen in public for some eight weeks prior to his death, and was reported to have been admitted to hospital in July.
Three weeks ago, spokesman Mr Bereket told the BBC that he was in “a good condition and recuperating”, and dismissed reports he was critically ill.
At the time he declined to give any details about Mr Meles’ whereabouts or what he was suffering from.
Some reports suggested Mr Meles was in hospital in Belgium, suffering from a stomach complaint. Other reports said he was in Germany.
Source: BBC
