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| Trump says he deserves Nobel Peace Prize not Abiy Ahmed | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| US President Donald Trump seems to think that he was overlooked for last year's Nobel Peace Prize. | US President Donald Trump seems to think that he was overlooked for last year's Nobel Peace Prize. |
| Why, what did he say? | Why, what did he say? |
| "I'm going to tell you about the Nobel Peace Prize, I'll tell you about that. I made a deal, I saved a country, and I just heard that the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country. I said: 'What, did I have something do with it?' Yeah, but you know, that's the way it is. As long as we know, that's all that matters... I saved a big war, I've saved a couple of them." | "I'm going to tell you about the Nobel Peace Prize, I'll tell you about that. I made a deal, I saved a country, and I just heard that the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country. I said: 'What, did I have something do with it?' Yeah, but you know, that's the way it is. As long as we know, that's all that matters... I saved a big war, I've saved a couple of them." |
| A video clip of him talking to supporters at a campaign event in Toledo, Ohio, on Thursday evening was shared on Twitter: | A video clip of him talking to supporters at a campaign event in Toledo, Ohio, on Thursday evening was shared on Twitter: |
| Who was he talking about? | Who was he talking about? |
| Although he did not name the Nobel Peace Prize winner or the country, it is clear that Mr Trump was referring to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. | Although he did not name the Nobel Peace Prize winner or the country, it is clear that Mr Trump was referring to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. |
| Mr Abiy, 43, is Africa's youngest head of government. | Mr Abiy, 43, is Africa's youngest head of government. |
| He came into office in April 2018 after months of anti-government protests forced his predecessor to resign. | He came into office in April 2018 after months of anti-government protests forced his predecessor to resign. |
| Mr Abiy has introduced massive liberalising reforms to Ethiopia, shaking up what was a tightly controlled nation. | Mr Abiy has introduced massive liberalising reforms to Ethiopia, shaking up what was a tightly controlled nation. |
| He freed thousands of opposition activists from jail and allowed exiled dissidents to return home. He has also allowed the media to operate freely and appointed women to prominent positions. | He freed thousands of opposition activists from jail and allowed exiled dissidents to return home. He has also allowed the media to operate freely and appointed women to prominent positions. |
| And in October last year, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize - the only head of state to win the prize since Mr Trump was elected in 2016. | And in October last year, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize - the only head of state to win the prize since Mr Trump was elected in 2016. |
| Why did he win the Nobel Peace Prize? | Why did he win the Nobel Peace Prize? |
| The Norwegian Nobel Committee said Mr Abiy was honoured for his "decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea". | The Norwegian Nobel Committee said Mr Abiy was honoured for his "decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea". |
| The two countries fought a bitter border war from 1998-2000, which killed tens of thousands of people. Although a ceasefire was signed in 2000, the neighbours technically remained at war until July 2018, when Mr Abiy and Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace deal. So for two decades, the long border was closed, dividing families and making trade impossible. | The two countries fought a bitter border war from 1998-2000, which killed tens of thousands of people. Although a ceasefire was signed in 2000, the neighbours technically remained at war until July 2018, when Mr Abiy and Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace deal. So for two decades, the long border was closed, dividing families and making trade impossible. |
| The Nobel Committee said it hoped the peace agreement would help to bring about positive change to the citizens of Ethiopia and Eritrea. | The Nobel Committee said it hoped the peace agreement would help to bring about positive change to the citizens of Ethiopia and Eritrea. |
| Since the peace deal with Eritrea, Mr Abiy has also been involved in peace processes in other African countries, the committee said. | Since the peace deal with Eritrea, Mr Abiy has also been involved in peace processes in other African countries, the committee said. |
| You may be interested in: | |
| Did Trump help broker peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea? | Did Trump help broker peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea? |
| Not really - the US's influence in the peace talks was minimal. The United Arab Emirates, which has a lot of influence in the Horn of Africa, was key in helping to bring the two parties together, says the BBC's former Ethiopia correspondent, Emmanuel Igunza. | Not really - the US's influence in the peace talks was minimal. The United Arab Emirates, which has a lot of influence in the Horn of Africa, was key in helping to bring the two parties together, says the BBC's former Ethiopia correspondent, Emmanuel Igunza. |
| Saudi Arabia also played a key role in helping end the dispute. | Saudi Arabia also played a key role in helping end the dispute. |
| The peace deal helped bring back Eritrea from the cold after sanctions were imposed in 2009. | The peace deal helped bring back Eritrea from the cold after sanctions were imposed in 2009. |
| The UN Security Council lifted the sanctions in November 2018, four months after the peace deal was signed. | The UN Security Council lifted the sanctions in November 2018, four months after the peace deal was signed. |
| Why did Trump make the comments now? | Why did Trump make the comments now? |
| This is not clear, given that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on 11 October last year, and Mr Abiy gave his acceptance speech in Oslo, Norway, on 10 December. | This is not clear, given that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on 11 October last year, and Mr Abiy gave his acceptance speech in Oslo, Norway, on 10 December. |
| Interestingly, Mr Trump has not officially congratulated Mr Abiy but his daughter, Ivanka Trump, who serves as his senior adviser, and the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have done so. | Interestingly, Mr Trump has not officially congratulated Mr Abiy but his daughter, Ivanka Trump, who serves as his senior adviser, and the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have done so. |
| However, Mr Trump has publicly said he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for, among other things, his efforts to convince North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un to give up nuclear weapons. |