Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed wins Nobel Peace Prize 2019

Oslo: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to “achieve peace and international cooperation” in the African nation, especially his “decisive initiative” to resolve the two-decade border conflict with Eritrea, it was announced on Friday. He was named as the winner of the 100th Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.

“His reforms give many citizens hope for a better life and a brighter future,” Efe news quoted the Nobel committee as saying in a statement. His efforts deserve recognition and need encouragement, it added.

After Ahmed became the Prime Minister in April 2018, Ethiopia reached a peace deal with Eritrea, ending a 20-year military stalemate following their 1998-2000 border war.

Abiy Ahmed also introduced massive liberalising reforms to Ethiopia, shaking up what was an extremely tightly controlled nation.

He freed thousands of opposition activists from jail and allowed exiled dissidents to return home. A total of 301 candidates had been nominated for the prestigious award, including 223 individuals and 78 organisations, the BBC reported.

There had been great speculation over who would win the prize, with the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg widely tipped as the favourite. The prize, worth 9 million Swedish crowns ($900,000), will be awarded in Oslo in December. (IANS)

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