Ethiopia's PM Abiy merits top slot at 2018 U.N. summit, says Sweden

Sweden’s Ambassador to the United Nations says Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed deserves to be the centre of attraction at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Ambassador Olof Skoog’s reason is simple, that other world leaders have peace lessons to take from the 41-year-old former army colonel.

In a video shared by Abiy’s Chief of Staff, Skoog stresses the bold and historic steps the Premier took particularly in achieving peace with neighbouring Eritrea – an impasse that Skoog admits the world had all but given up on.

“Shouldn’t we just devote this general assembly to give him the most prominent speakers’ place?” he asks stressing that making Abiy the most prominent speaker will be a boost to proceedings when Heads of States and governments gather in New York come September 2018.

Abiy’s role in making peace with Eritrea he added will allow for reflection “… and other leaders can hear, why did he take that decision, what has it meant to his country’s setup.”

Instituted since 1946, the U.N. General Assembly is the biggest annual gathering of world leaders as the body put it, ‘to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges. Over 190 countries have their leaders or representatives giving addresses.

This years’ edition – the 73rd – will be the first UNGA PM Abiy will be attending. Last year Hailemariam Desalegn represented Ethiopia. Abiy replaced him in April this year and has since undertaken sweeping political, diplomatic and economic reforms.

If his Eritrean counterpart Isaias Afwerki also attends, it would be the first time in a while that he has made the trip.

Eritrea’s address in 2017 was delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister and it dwelt on illegal occupation of its territory by Ethiopia and the need to lift a 2009 arms embargo placed on it by the UN Security Council.