"Thanks, the president of the Republic of Zimbabwe, for words that changed my understanding of you, " he said in front of thousands of mourners in Harare.

BBC: Zimbabwe's funeral diplomacy

The fighting ultimately drew in six countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

CNN: Explainer: Behind Congolese conflict

The only money was in touring Africa, playing jazz clubs from Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) to the Belgian Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo).

BBC: Obituary: Miriam 'Mama Africa' Makeba

Among the representatives of more than two dozen countries attending were the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Iraq, state-run Islamic Republic News Agency said.

CNN: SHARE THIS

This triggered a war that drew in six more countries (Burundi, Uganda, Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia and the Central African Republic) and led to the deaths of about 4m people, mostly from disease and ill-health.

ECONOMIST: A leaked UN report looks very bad for Rwanda��s government