Malala congratulates Ethiopia’s PM for winning Nobel Peace Prize

LONDON: Malala Yousufzai, Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, on Friday congratulated Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali for winning the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.

In a tweet, she said: “Congratulations to Prime Minister @AbiyAhmedAli, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, and to all people working for reconciliation between Ethiopia and Eritrea”.

Known as a reformer, Abiy Ahmed won the world’s most prestigious award for his efforts to resolve the long-running conflict with neighbouring foe Eritrea.

The 43-year-old Ethiopian Prime Minister, came into power in April 2018 and  he after years of civil unrest in the country started mending relations with Eritrea following decades of conflict between the countries.

On July 9, 2018, following a historic meeting in Eritrea´s capital Asmara, Abiy and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki formally ended a 20-year-old stalemate between the countries in the wake of the 1998-2000 border conflict.

A peace deal was signed later that year, and embassies have been reopened and flight routes between the countries resumed.