Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed, who received the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize in Norway earlier this week, has been accorded a hero’s welcome when he returned to Addis Ababa on Thursday morning.
Senior government officials and residents of Addis Ababa welcomed the Premier with celebrations in honor of Ethiopia’s first Nobel Peace Prize winner.
A 21-gun salute is also fired in honor of the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed received the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, 2019 in Oslo, Norway.
He was award the prize in recognition of his crucial role in creating peace between Eritrea and Ethiopia.
The award is also in recognition to his efforts to build democracy in Ethiopia and contribution to peace and reconciliation processes in East and North East Africa.
During the award ceremony, Berit Reiss-Andersen, Chairperson of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said “We are awarding the Peace Prize to you as an individual because you have personally made an extraordinary difference across several arenas.
“It is the totality of your efforts that convinced us that it is you, Mr. Prime Minister, who have made the most significant contribution to peace in the past year”.
In his Nobel lecture, Prime Minister Dr Abiy thanked the Norwegian Nobel Committee “for recognizing and encouraging my contribution to a peaceful resolution of the border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea.”
As a result of the peace deal “families separated for over two decades are now united, diplomatic relations are fully restored, air and telecommunication services have been re-established,” he said.
MG/as/APA