Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner “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 Institute said on Friday that the coveted prize was also in recognition of all the stakeholders working for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia in the East and Northeast Africa.
The 43-year-old Ahmed reached a peace deal with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki last year to end 20 years of a bloody border conflict between the two neighbouring countries.
The institute hailed Eritrean President Afwerki for his co-operation in embracing peace, saying ”peace does not arise from the actions of one party alone.”
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday congratulated the Ethiopian Prime Minister for winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
The award, Buhari said in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, “portends a good sign for the peace processes within countries, and across borders on the African continent.’’
Buhari felicitated with the prime minister, his cabinet and all Ethiopians on the remarkable global recognition of winning the 100th peace prize which was attributed to a decision to end 20-year conflict between two African countries, Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The Nigerian leader reiterated his belief that African development is strongly tied to peaceful co-existence and deliberate efforts by governments and people to sustain harmony within and between countries.
