Nobody in the room had been told about Abiy Ahmed's trip, his second one since securing a peace agreement last year that put an end to twenty years of conflict between the two countries. A senior official present stated that the foreign office was unaware of the trip, and they only found out about it through Eritrean media, Facebook, and Twitter. Abiy is known for making surprise visits and taking bold personal actions instead of using government channels. The foreign ministry spokesman, Nebiat Getachew, claimed that the policy was well organized despite the lack of communication. He did not verify whether Abiy had taken the July trip without notifying the ministry. The agreement with Eritrea earned Abiy praise internationally. He is the second favorite to potentially win a Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, following climate activist Greta Thunberg. However, some Ethiopians are irritated by Abiy's unpredictable approach. It remains uncertain how much support his reforms have within the ruling coalition, which has been in power in some form since 1991, and how sustainable those reforms would be without his guidance. He has survived an assassination attempt in the past, when a grenade was thrown at a rally last year. According to Comfort Ero, Africa programme director at the International Crisis Group, lasting change cannot be achieved through a "cult of personality". She believes that Abiy's promised reforms will not be successful unless he strengthens the institutions in Ethiopia. The country has been experiencing rapid economic growth for over ten years, but there is concern over Abiy's capacity to implement all his reforms, which is causing anxiety among citizens and foreign investors he is trying to attract to modernize the telecoms and banking sectors. Some analysts argue that Abiy, a former military officer with expertise in cyber intelligence, occasionally circumvents government ministries in order to keep his swift-moving reforms on track and avoid getting bogged down in bureaucratic processes. These reforms, such as lifting bans on political parties, freeing jailed journalists, and holding accountable officials accused of torture, have garnered enthusiastic support from the public at rallies. According to Dereje Feyissa, a professor at Addis Ababa University, Abiy's rule appears to be based on his charismatic leadership style, but the concern remains as to whether this approach can be maintained in the long run. The initial excitement is fading as some believe Abiy's quick reforms are a strategic move to surprise opponents from the previous Tigrayan-dominated administration. Abiy, a member of the Oromo ethnic group, has taken strong actions against corruption and human rights violations since becoming Prime Minister in April 2018. Many high-ranking officials, particularly Tigrayans, have been removed from their positions. "In the first six or seven months, he weakened the existing institutions." Jawar Mohammed, an Oromo activist and informal adviser to the prime minister, stated that the institutions were not functioning properly or were working against the prime minister's agenda. He believes that the prime minister's progress would not have been possible without addressing this issue. One of Abiy's major accomplishments was the peace deal signed with Eritrea in July last year, which put an end to a nearly two-decade military stalemate following a border war. Historian Asle Sveen, who has written extensively about the Nobel Peace Prize, mentioned that the peace deal aligns with the type of candidate Alfred Nobel had in mind for the prize. Sveen highlighted that the peace deal with Eritrea and the prime minister's efforts towards democratic reforms internally have made him a popular figure. However, not all benefits of the peace were long-lasting. Land borders that were opened in July were closed again in December without any official explanation. Will Davison, an Ethiopia analyst at Crisis Group, suggested that last year's reconciliation was influenced by the Eritrean president's belief that the rise of Abiy signaled the decline of Tigray's ruling party, which had been a longstanding adversary. Despite losing power at the federal level, Tigray's ruling party still holds significant control in its own region, which has a border with Eritrea, hindering further improvement in relations between the two nations. Nebiat, the foreign ministry spokesman, mentioned that Eritrea and Ethiopia had reestablished diplomatic relations, air links, and phone connections. He stated that there are other ongoing engagements to strengthen relations in a more institutionalized manner. Abiy's bold diplomatic initiatives, such as his unexpected trip, are seen as personal initiatives by analysts and diplomats. A senior official from the foreign ministry mentioned that the ministry has been excluded from these initiatives, which could potentially jeopardize the country's interests abroad. The official also noted that Abiy has been engaging with Eritrea, Somalia, and wealthy Gulf states on significant policy matters without consulting his government first. However, Nebiat disagreed with this assessment. He stated that the Ethiopian government consistently carries out a well-planned foreign policy and diplomatic initiatives, dismissing any other allegations as unfounded. Abiy's hands-on approach has garnered praise from certain countries. Following the killing of over 100 protesters by Sudanese police in June, Abiy traveled to Khartoum to facilitate discussions between Sudan's military leaders and the opposition, with the support of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. These negotiations resulted in a power-sharing agreement in August. Amjad Farid, a senior representative of the civilian group that negotiated with the military, stated that Abiy played a significant role. Abiy has implemented reforms both domestically and internationally, publicly denouncing past abuses and appointing former dissidents to key positions. Daniel Bekele, a former political prisoner and Africa director at Human Rights Watch, now leads the government's human rights commission. Birtukan Mideksa, who established a political party and was imprisoned following a contentious election in 2005, currently leads the electoral commission. However, there are frequent outbreaks of violence with ethnic undertones, and efforts to address historical injustices have been sluggish. A reconciliation commission established in December is lacking in clear direction, expertise, and has only convened twice, according to Laetitia Bader, an Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. Bader expressed skepticism about whether this initiative will have any meaningful impact.