Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Awarded Nobel Peace Prize

By: Iman Shumburo

· Global Affairs

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been announced as this year's winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his pursuit of reforms and regional diplomatic efforts.

Ahmed's work centered around ending the dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea that started in 1993 over Eritrea's attempted secession from the country. Experts estimate over 100,000 people were killed in the years of war following the dispute. Prime Minister Ahmed, along with Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki brokered a peace accord that ended the brutal conflict and allowed people to return to their homes and families after two decades of chaos.

Since he's gained power, Ahmed has worked to strengthen diplomatic efforts between Ethiopia and the nations of Sudan and South Sudan, serving as a moderator between the two opposing nations. He's also made an effort to mediate other disputes between countries in the area. •
Prime Minister Ahmed ran on a platform of progress and change, and has stuck to his message in the two years he's held office. He's lifted bans on political speech, prosecuted war criminals, corrupt officials, and other criminals, and has set the stage for Ethiopia to have its first round of free elections in 2020. Ahmed's administration has also been a force for change in a country of many ethnic and religious groups and striven to promote reconciliation, peace, and social justice, as well as democratization.

The "under-dog" in the competition, Abiy Ahmed beat out candidates like Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old climate change activist, and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Berit Reiss-Andersen, the Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, stated:

"When Abiy Ahmed became Prime Minister in April 2018, he made it clear that he wished to resume peace talks with Eritrea. In close cooperation with Isaias Afwerki, President of Eritrea, Abiy Ahmed quickly worked out the principles of a peace agreement to end the long "no peace, no war" stalemate between the two countries."