A Roundup of Reactions to the Death of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi

Ethiopia announced on Tuesday that Prime Minister Meles Zenawi had died at age 57 (biography here). Meles took sick over a month ago, touching off speculation about the state of his health and the future of Ethiopia. Now that his death has been confirmed, reactions are pouring in from around the world. Here is a sample:

Governments:

• Statement from the Ethiopian News Agency
• Statement from UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon
• Statement from US President Barack Obama
• Statement from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
• Statement from UK Prime Minister David Cameron
• Statement from President Jose Barroso of the European Commission

Press

• The AP: “Is Ethiopia’s New Leader in Place for Long?”
• The New York Times: “Ethiopian Leader’s Death Highlights Gap Between U.S. Interests and Ideals”
• VOA: “Time to Assess Meles Legacy in Ethiopia”
• The Wall Street Journal: “Ethiopia in Flux After Leader Dies”
• The Guardian: “Ethiopia’s Renaissance under Meles Zenawi Tainted by Authoritarianism”
• Reuters: “Ethiopians Mourn Strongman Ruler Meles, Dead at 57”
• The Atlantic: “A Modern Dictator: Why Ethiopia’s Zenawi Mattered”
• The Economist: “Meles Zenawi”
• Time: “The Strongman Who May Be Missed”
• Al Jazeera (Arabic): “The Death of the the Ethiopian Prime Minister”

Non-Governmental Organizations

• Human Rights Watch: “Transition Should Support Human Rights Reform”
• The Committee to Protect Journalists: “In Meles’ Death, As in Life, a Penchant for Secrecy, Control”

What is your reaction? What comes next for Ethiopia?