FILE PHOTO: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed attends the High Level Consultation Meetings of Heads of State and Government on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia January 17, 2019. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri/File Photo

OSLO (Reuters) - Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is “humbled and thrilled” at becoming the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, he said in a recorded phone call with the secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee posted online on Friday.

“I am so humbled and thrilled ... Thank you very much. It is a prize given to Africa, given to Ethiopia, and I can imagine how the rest of Africa’s leaders will take it positively to work on peace building process in our continent,” said Abiy.

“I am so happy and I am so thrilled for the news ... Thank you very much, it is a big recognition.”