Nobel Committee cautions Aby Ahmed his responsibility as the winner of the prize for peace

(3 minutes read)

• The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards the prestigious Peace Prize, has cautioned Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed that as prime minister and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, he has a special responsibility to end the conflict and contribute to peace
• The committee, in a statement, was referring to the humanitarian crisis in his country’s Tigray region
• It may be recalled that Abiy won the prize, in part, for making peace with neighboring Eritrea after one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards the prestigious Peace Prize, has cautioned Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed that as prime minister and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, he has a special responsibility to end the conflict and contribute to peace. The committee, in a statement, was referring to the humanitarian crisis in his country’s Tigray region.

It may be recalled that Abiy won the prize, in part, for making peace with neighboring Eritrea after one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts. The statement emphasized that Abiy Ahmed’s prize was awarded on the basis of his efforts and the justifiable expectations that existed in 2019. The statement, however, alluded to the   authoritarian governing system and widespread ethnic conflicts in Tigray region of Ethiopia, where there is an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

In November 2020, Abiy’s government allowed Eritrean forces into the Tigray region.  They together pursued the Tigray leaders after political tensions erupted into war. Thousands of people have been killed, with many sustaining various degrees of injuries. The statement also referred to the widespread armed conflict since autumn 2020 and said that the humanitarian situation was very serious and was not acceptable. The humanitarian aid did  not emerge to a sufficient degree. The statement also said that its deliberations were confidential and it was not its role to provide continuing commentary on Ethiopian developments or to assess the position of a Peace Prize laureate after the prize has been received.