Ethiopians mourn

Tens of thousands of Ethiopians mourned the late strongman Meles Zenawi yesterday in their first state funeral in more than 80 years.

His coffin arrived on top of a horse-drawn carriage adorned with white flowers and pictures of Meles - who died last month aged 57 - as a boy and young man, before the casket was placed on a stage .

Religious leaders from Ethiopia's Christian Orthodox Church, dressed in flowing embroidered robes and carrying red and gold velvet umbrellas, held prayers for the sea of mourners.

Ethiopia's deputy Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, who will lead government until national elections in 2015, sat right behind the coffin, and welcomed the many African leaders and foreign dignitaries who are attending.

"The late prime minister was working not only for the renaissance of Ethiopia, but also for the renaissance for all of Africa," Hailemariam said in a speech after prayers.

"All his initiatives will keep going forward, all the transformation plans will progress," he promised.

Presidents of all Ethiopia's neighbours, with the exception of arch-foe Eritrea, attended.

Thousands of soldiers stood guard as the ceremony progressed, some of them crying.

Meles was expected to be buried in Addis Ababa's Holy Trinity Cathedral, the burial site for the last emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, who was murdered in 1975 by coup leaders.

Meles died in a Brussels hospital on August 20 after a protracted illness.

While he was credited with bringing about economic growth, rights groups criticised him for what they said was a crackdown on opposition groups and journalists.