A sombre mood characterised the arrivals and all those who spoke describing the death of Dr Mwanawasa as a great loss to the region and the entire world
Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Armando Guebuza of Mozambique, Joseph Kabila (Democratic Republic of Congo), Ian Khama (Botswana), Malawi's Bingu Wa Mutharika and Lesotho Prime Minister, Pakalitha Mosisili were present.Other African dignitaries who arrived were Ugandan Vice-President, Gilbert Bukenya, and Liberian foreign affairs minister, Olubanke King-Akerele.
The Japanese Prime Minister's representative, Tetsuro Yano, Chinese foreign affairs minister, Yang Jiesha, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) director-general, Jacques Diouf and the head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Kenya, Aneas Chuma
Mr Yano said Dr Mwanawasa greatly contributed to the success of the last TICAD summit in Japan and would be missed for his valuable contributions.
AT least eight Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government and several other foreign dignitaries arrived in Zambia to attend the burial of late President Mwanawasa
Mr Kikwete said it was sad that Dr Mwanawasa had died because he played a key role in the development of Zambia and the whole region.
Mr Guebuza said Africa had lost a great leader whose input would have helped move the continent forward
President Khama said Botswana and Zambia shared the same vision and it was unfortunate that Dr Mwanawasa had died.
Mr Bukenya said Uganda and the whole Great Lakes region would miss Dr Mwanawasa for his ceaseless efforts in trying to resolve the conflict there
