Abiy, hailed by the Nobel Committee "for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation", sparked a historic rapprochement with neighbouring Eritrea soon after coming to power last year.

The move led to the formal end of a 20-year-old stalemate between the countries in the wake of the 1998-2000 border conflict and was part of a dizzying array of reforms within Ethiopia that included releasing dissidents from jail and welcoming home exiled armed groups.

Abiy said he was "humbled and thrilled" to receive the Nobel, adding that he hoped it would inspire other African leaders.

He said he could "imagine how the rest of Africa's leaders would think it possible to work on peace-building processes", in a call to the Nobel committee.

- 'Blood, sweat and tears' -

Eritrea's ambassador to Japan, Estifanos Afwerki, on Twitter hailed the decision, saying the people of Eritrea and Ethiopia "with blood, sweat (and) tears have won again over evil."

- Putting 'people first' -

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Abiy's peace efforts inspired hopes of regional "security and stability".

Abiy's "leadership has set a wonderful example for others in and beyond Africa looking to overcome resistance from the past and put people first," he said in a statement.

- Work 'far from done' -

Rights group Amnesty International credited Abiy with an array of positive changes since coming to power in April 2018, but said more needed to be done to cement a "lasting human rights legacy".

"This award recognises the critical work Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government has done to initiate human rights reforms in Ethiopia after decades of widespread repression," it said.

Amnesty listed reform of the security forces, replacing "the severely restricting charities and society law", as well as efforts to "broker an agreement between Sudan's military leaders and the civilian opposition, bringing an end to months of protests".

But Amnesty said Abiy's work "is far from done" and warned that tensions within Ethiopia, a mosaic of ethnic groups, "threaten instability and further human rights abuses".

- 'Given the world hope' -

African Union chief Moussa Faki on Twitter congratulated Abiy on the win "for his historic peacebuilding efforts that have given the world hope at a time it needs servant leadership more than ever."

- 'Champion for peace' -

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta also joined the chorus of those congratulating Abiy.

"Prime Minister Ahmed stands out as a relentless champion for peace, stability and prosperity of his country, our region and the entire African continent," Kenyatta said in a statement.

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