Ethiopian Prime Minister Mr. Abiy Ahmed Ali was awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize on October 11, 2019. The Norwegian Nobel Committee points out that the Award is the recognition for his efforts to resolve the long-running conflict with neighbouring Eritrea to achieve peace and international cooperation and more particularly for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with Eritrea. "Abiy Ahmed Ali has initiated important reforms that gave many citizens hope for a better life and a brighter future", added the Nobel Committee.
Ethiopia had been locked in conflict with Eritrea for 20 years when Mr. Abiy Ahmed took over as the Prime Minister of Ethiopia in 2018. Mr. Abiy Ahmed Ali, the former Army officer-turned PM, stepped across the border and embraced the Eritrean President Mr. Isaias Afwerki to signal the beginning of a peace effort. He declared to the world that war was no longer the option between the two countries to resolve the border conflict. Mr. Abiy chose to break the stalemate of a border dispute which began in 1998.
