she is not a Nobel Peace Prize winner, it is up to the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed

The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the architect of a spectacular reconciliation with Eritrea and the father of reforms that could profoundly transform a country long given to authoritarianism.

The award is a welcome boost for the 43-year-old leader who is facing a worrying outburst of inter-communal violence in his country, where legislative elections are expected to take place in May 2020.

Mr. Abiy is rewarded "for his efforts to achieve peace and for international cooperation, especially for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighboring Eritrea," said the committee chair. Norwegian Nobel, Berit Reiss-Andersen.

Since coming to power in April 2018 after several years of anti-government protests, Abiy Ahmed has begun a step closer with Eritrea, a former Ethiopian province.

After a historic meeting on 9 July 2018 in Eritrean capital Asmara, Eritrean President Issaias Afeworki and himself ended a 20-year state of war between the two enemy brothers.

Reopening of embassies and border posts, reestablishment of air links, multiplication of meetings …: reconciliation has been carried out in earnest.

Hailed as a visionary and reformer, the young leader, from a poor family, has instilled a certain optimism in a region of the world where it is a rare commodity.

"A breath of hope is blowing over the Horn of Africa," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in September 2018.

"Recognition and encouragement"

But enthusiasm soon gave way to frustration. The border between the two countries is closed again, the signing of trade agreements is not forthcoming and landlocked Ethiopia still has no access to Eritrean ports.

The road ahead before a firm and final peace is still long, say analysts.

"The Norwegian Nobel Committee hopes the Nobel Peace Prize will strengthen Prime Minister Abiy in his important work for peace and reconciliation," said Reiss-Andersen.

"This is both recognition and encouragement of her efforts," she said. "We are aware that a lot of work remains"

On the domestic front, Abiy broke with the authoritarianism of his predecessors, released thousands of political prisoners, created a national reconciliation commission and lifted the ban on certain political parties.

But his efforts are also hindered by obstacles. Many doubt his ability to keep his promise to hold "free", "just" and "democratic" elections in May 2020 because of the inter-communal violence that is tearing the country apart and complicating an ever-hypothetical census.

This violence is most often motivated by political or land disputes. Some ethnic groups like the Sidama claim to be able to form their own region in a federal state that now has nine, enjoying a semi-autonomous.

Insecurity displaced more than two million people in 2018 at the height of the crisis.

The reformist agenda of the Prime Minister has attracted strong enmities within the old guard of the old regime, which it is a pure product. Abiy has been the victim of at least one assassination attempt since taking office.

Africa's second most populous country with some 110 million people, Ethiopia still languishes at 128th place in The Economist's 2018 Democracy Index.

The Nobel, which consists of a diploma, a gold medal and a check of 9 million Swedish kroner (approximately 830,000 euros), will be awarded in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of the death of its founder, the industrialist. and Swedish philanthropist Alfred Nobel (1833-1896).