Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has died after suffering a stroke earlier this week.

Mr Mwanawasa was rushed to a hospital in Egypt on Sunday just before an African Union Summit and was transferred to intensive care in a Paris hospital on Tuesday.

However, Zambia's vice-president Rupiah Banda has denied media reports that Mr Mwanawasa had died, saying he was in a stable condition in a Paris hospital.

South African President Thabo Mbeki said he had been informed by the executive secretary of the Southern African Development Community that Mr Mwanawasa had indeed passed away.

The Zambian leader had been mediating between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to end the political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe.

Mr Mwanawasa, along with other Western donors had extended billions of dollars in debt relief to the International Monetary Fund after his crackdown on government spending and launch of an anti-graft drive.

He suffered a mild stroke in 2006 but said before being re-elected that year that he was fit to stand for office.

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