WASHINGTON, Jan 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — United States President Donald Trump has disclosed that he had a big role in the 2018 peace deal between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Despite not clearly mentioning both countries in his claim at a rally in Ohio on Thursday, he said the leader of one of the country’s had been awarded a Nobel Peace Prize after he (Trump) had made a deal and saved a country.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in December 2019 received the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the 2018 Ethiopia – Eritrea peace deal and reforms back home.
“I’m going to tell you about the Nobel Peace Prize. I made a deal, I saved a country. And I just heard that the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country.
“I said… what the… did I have something to do with it? Yeah. But you know that’s the way it is. As long as we know that’s all that matters. I saved a big war, I saved a couple of them,” he added as supporters cheered him.
Abiy’s acceptance of a border ruling and offer of peace to Eritrea was received by Eritrea’s Isaias Afwerki with both countries closing the chapter on two-decades of a standoff.
Many analysts in the region had mentioned the involvement of foreign nations in bringing about reconciliation. The Gulf states – especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – were routinely mentioned as key backers of the deal. Both countries have awarded Gold Medals to Abiy and Afwerki after the deal. — NNN-AGENCIES