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Issue No. 59 Africa Research Notes CY LI IN PO S T October, 2019 1 A I T C U

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On April 11, 2018, new Ethiopian Prime Minister waves during his rally in Ambo, about 120km west of , PHOTO | ZACHARIAS ABUBEKER | AFP

KUDOS TO ABIY, BUT NOBEL COMMITTEE SHOULD REWARD AFRICAN INSTITUTIONS PETER KAGWANJA

Abiy’s award is a recognition of an Africa rising, progressively taking charge and healing its own wounds guided by the mantra of “African Solutions to African Problems” with a potential to shape the culture of leadership across Africa. But as Africa enters the phase of democratic consolidation and development, the Nobel Committee might consider redirecting attention to innovations and institutions propelling Africa’s peace and development.

“There… are no limits to the human capacity First, Eliud Kipchoge (35), the Kenyan long-distance for intelligence, imagination, and wonder.” This runner who set the marathon world record of wisdom by President Ronald Reagan was borne 2:01:39 in September 2018, achieved a new out by two ground-breaking events in the Horn of time of 1:59:40 in Vienna, Austria on October 12, Africa. 2019. But for understandable reasons, Kipchoge’s Issue No. 59 Africa Research Notes October, 2019 2 victory cannot be a new world marathon record. 1960 went to Chief Albert Lutuli, The event was neither open nor were standard president of the African National Congress (ANC), competition rules for pacing and fluids strictly for his role in the non-violent struggle against followed. However, the feat has entered the apartheid. Guinness World Records as the “Fastest marathon After the Soweto Uprising in 1976 and the distance (male)” and “First marathon distance run Apartheid government’s ‘total onslaught’ policy, under two hours”. the Committee direct attention to emboldening Second, on October 11, 2019, the Norwegian leaders fighting apartheid by peaceful means. Nobel Committee awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace The 1984 Nobel Peace Prize went to the Anglican Prize to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed cleric, for his role in the opposition Ali (43) for his audacious initiative to end over to apartheid. In 1993, the Committee co-awarded 20-year post- territorial deadlock between the Peace Prize to and Frederik and Eritrea. Abiy award also followed a Willem de Klerk for brokering a peaceful end slew of political and economic reforms at home to apartheid and laying the foundations for a and laudable efforts to broker peace in the Horn democratic South Africa. of Africa. In the 1970s, the Committee also focused on Abiy becomes one of 25 persons from African contribution to peace in the Middle-East. It to win any of the six Nobel Prizes awarded to awarded the Peace Prize for 1978 to Anwar al- individuals and organizations who break new Sadat, President of Egypt, and , grounds in the fields of chemistry, physics, Prime Minister of Israel, for their contribution to literature, peace, medicine and economic sciences. the two frame agreements on peace in the Middle He joins a pantheon of 900 or so individuals and East, and on peace between Egypt and Israel, organizations who have received the awards which were signed at Camp David on September between 1901 and 2017. 17, 1978. In many ways, Abiy’s award reflects the new However, in the 21st century, the Nobel Committee spirit of Africa. At the turn of the century, British turned its attention to contributions to sustainable Prime Minister, Tony Blair, described Africa, rather development and democracy. The 2004 Nobel sardonically, as “a scar on the conscience of the Peace Prize went to Kenyan environmental world”, appealing to the world to heal the wounds and political activist, “for of the continent. But Abiy’s award is a recognition her contribution to sustainable development, of an Africa rising, progressively taking charge and democracy and peace”. It also co-awarded the healing its own wounds guided by the mantra of to Liberian President Ellen “African Solutions to African Problems”. Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Roberta Gbowee, It also reveals Africa’s long walk to freedom and the Liberian peace activist, for their non-violent development. The historic “Wind of Change” struggle for the safety of women. , speech by the UK Prime Minister Harold Macmillan Congolese gynecologist and Pentecostal pastor, to the Parliament of South Africa in Cape Town was also awarded the for on 3 February 1960 set the stage and tone of the his work with women raped by armed rebels. subsequent Nobel Peace awards which focused By awarding Abiy the , attention on contributions to peaceful end to barely 18 months since ascending to power in April colonialism and apartheid. Unsurprisingly, the 2018, the Nobel Committee has been accused of Issue No. 59 Africa Research Notes October, 2019 3

“doling premature praises.” But the committee and institutions propelling Africa’s peace and sought to achieve two goals: to recognize Abiy’s development. contribution to peace and to strengthen his hand A more sustainable approach is to co-award prizes in the face of looming challenges within Ethiopia to individual leaders and regional organizations and the larger Horn of Africa. that provided mandate to peace efforts such However, while peace prizes based on campaigns as IGAD or African Union. While the Nobel are usually not controversial, those based on Committee has awarded Peace Prizes to 27 times peace deals often tend to be intensely stormy, and to organizations between 1901 and 2019, only to often come unstuck. one of these is from Africa. Similarly, peace awards calibrated to strengthen This is the National Quartet of Tunisia, which their recipients may have good intentions, they received the 2015 in recognition of often fail. No other Nobel Peace Prize has ever its contribution to the building of a pluralistic elicited more attention and controversy than democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine the 2009 prize to President for his Revolution of 2011. The Committee need to “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international recognize innovations such as M-Pesa, the most diplomacy and cooperation between people”. successful mobile-phone-based financial service Writing in his memoir in 2015, the Secretary of in the developing world. the Nobel Committee, Geir Lundestad, admitted Be that as it may, as long as the Ethiopia-Eritrea that awarding the Prize to Obama was a mistake peace deal lasts, it sets the stage for Abiy to because the award failed to strengthen him as its consolidate a legacy of peace, democracy and designers hoped it would. development. Abiy’s award has the potential of shaping the culture of leadership across Africa. But as Africa Professor Kagwanja is former Government Adviser enters the phase of democratic consolidation and currently Chief Executive at the Africa Policy and development, the Nobel Committee might Institute consider re-directing attention to innovations

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API Africa Research Notes Series publishes scientifically valid research outputs that cannot be considered as full research or methodology articles. Its aim is to provide a forum for shar- ing data, useful information and perspectives on topical issues of concern to the policy and research communities. Articles published under this series cut across disciplines, and include some short articles or opinion pieces that have already been published by the experts of the Af- rica Policy Institute. Some are brief publications, updates to previous work, abridged versions of research agendas or concept notes or brief reports of policy forums.

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