The Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed has been awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to ending its conflict with Eritrea.
What We Know:
- Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for forging a peace deal with Eritrea. He was recognized for his efforts in achieving peace and international cooperation and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighboring Eritrea.
- Just three months after becoming the country’s prime minister, last year in April he was able to have a peace deal signed which ended a nearly two-decade-long military stalemate with Eritrea. After Ethiopia’s independence in 1991, the border war lasted from 1998-2000. The conflict had cost both countries thousands in lives and scarce resources.
- Ahmed is a former military officer who specialized in cyber intelligence. He has forged a reputation as a daring leader prepared to take risks to tackle decades-old problems.
- After receiving the award he said “I am so humbled and thrilled … thank you very much. It is a prize given to Africa, given to Ethiopia, and I can imagine how the rest of Africa’s leaders will take it positively to work on the peace-building process in our continent.”
António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, believes that he has set a “wonderful example for others in and beyond Africa looking to overcome resistance from the past and put people first.”
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced as 2019 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are proud as a nation!!!#PMOEthiopia pic.twitter.com/82SLwDJw21
— Office of the Prime Minister – Ethiopia (@PMEthiopia) October 11, 2019
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