Abiy Ahmed (Left) and Eritrean Pres Isaias Afwerki
OSLO, Oct 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for his peacemaking efforts with Eritrea.
Ethiopia and Eritrea, longtime foes who fought a border war from 1998 to 2000, restored relations in July 2018 after years of hostility.
The prize, worth nine million Swedish crowns, or around $900,000, will be presented in Oslo on Dec 10.
“Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali has been awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighboring Eritrea,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in its citation.
“The prize is also meant to recognize all the stakeholders working for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia and in the East and Northeast African regions,” it added.
Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Berit Reiss-Andersen said Abiy had “reached out his hand” to formalise a peace process with Eritrea and given many Ethiopians a “better life and brighter future”.
Africa’s youngest leader, the 43-year-old sparked an historic rapprochement with Eritrea soon after coming to power in April last year, restoring ties that had been frozen since a 1998-2000 border war. He also helped mediate a maritime territory dispute between Kenya and Somalia and has been a key part of efforts to bring together the leaders of Sudan and South Sudan for talks.
“This victory and recognition is a collective win for all Ethiopians, and a call to strengthen our resolve in making Ethiopia – the new horizon of hope – a prosperous nation for all,” the prime minister’s office said in ADDIS ABABA.
It quoted Abiy as saying: “We are proud as a nation.”
Reflecting on Abiy’s efforts, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said peace efforts between Ethiopia and Eritrea had inspired hopes of regional “security and stability” and that the prime minister’s leadership had “set a wonderful example for others in and beyond Africa looking to overcome resistance from the past and put people first”.
As further praise poured in – African Union (AU) chief Moussa Faki Mahamat described Abiy’s award as a source of “great pride”.
It is with great pride that I congratulate Ethiopian PM @AbiyAhmedAli on being the 100th recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for his historic peacebuiding efforts that have given the world hope at a time it needs servant leadership more than ever, Moussa Faki tweeted.
Amnesty International said the award “should push and motivate” Abiy to “tackle the outstanding human rights challenges that threaten to reverse the gains made so far”.
The organisation warned Abiy’s work was “far from done” and cautioned that still-present tensions within Ethiopia, a mosaic of ethnic, linguistic and religious groups, “threaten instability and further human rights abuses”. — NNN-AGENCIES
