Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has offered AAU Institute of Ethiopian Studies (a research center of scholarly works on Ethiopia) the Nobel Peace Prize that he received it at Oslo on December 15, 2019.

During the event, Professor Tassew Woldehanna, President of Addis Ababa University on his message said Mr. Abiy was awarded the peace prize mainly for his effort to resolve the two decade boarder conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Tasew also said Abiy won the prize for releasing journalists, activists and opposition leaders of life sentences who were thrown in to prison because of their political beliefs.

“The decision to put the prize here in AAU has a great role. IES has many ethnographic historical heritages. This Institute is the place that so many researchers throughout the world made their research findings.  His Excellency Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was a graduate of our University, so the prize is part of our history. We promise to protect the prize and we will put it in a great place” Tasew noted.

W/ro Muferiat Kamil, Minister of Ministry of Peace and Security and Board Chairman of Addis Ababa University, on her side said “The prize is for all Ethiopians, for all Africans and for all human beings throughout the world who yearn for peace.”

“Since his appointment as a prime Minister of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Abiy has engaged himself in difficult tasks   to bring changes on Social, Economic and Political conditions of the country. He has improved women’s involvement in high governmental positions. He has also pledged to strengthen democracy and highly involved in other peace and reconciliation processes in the surrounding regions” Tasew said.

Ministers, Government officials, University Officials, University Senate members Administrative Staffs and students were in attendance.

Tenangnework Mekonnen December 17, 2019