video transcript

Thousands of Ethiopians and more than a dozen African leaders gathered to pay their respects at the funeral of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. His coffin --- draped in the flag of the country he lead for more than two decades. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice. SOUNDBITE: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice saying: "He taught himself and many others so much. But he wasn't just brilliant. he wasn't just a relentless negotiator and a formidable debater. He wasn't just a thirsty consumer of knowledge. He was uncommonly wise; able to see the bigger picture and the long game" After seizing power in 1991, he pushed through reforms that gave Ethiopia one of the strongest growth rates in Africa. South African President Jacob Zuma. SOUNDBITE: South African President Jacob Zuma saying: "[With] the Prime Minister Zenawi at the helm, a generation of Ethiopians have seen their country emerge from hunger and destitution to be a fast growing economy." l The 57-year-old leader aso enhanced the stability to a volatile region and his strong stand against Islamist militancy won praise from the west. At the tme of his death, Zenawai was serving his fourth term as prime minister.