Nobel Peace Prize awarding amid wars

OSLO, Norway (AFP) -- The Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded Friday, a ray of light in a dark year for world peace, with the International Court of Justice, UNRWA and United Nations chief Antonio Guterres seen as favorites.

In the final run-up to the announcement, Nobel-watchers are struggling to predict this year’s laureate, with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, famine in Sudan, and a collapsing climate painting a grim picture of world affairs.

A total of 286 candidates — 197 individuals and 89 organizations — are known to be on this year’s list of nominees.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee keeps the candidates’ names secret for 50 years, but those eligible to nominate are allowed to reveal who they have proposed.

The Norwegian Peace Council, an umbrella organization of non-government organizations, predicts the prize will go to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), as the devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas, sparked by Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attacks on Israeli soil, risks pushing the entire Middle East into full-scale war.

“A Peace Prize to UNRWA would be a strong recognition of their work in the face of a difficult political and economic situation,” the collective said.

UNRWA provides aid to millions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and neighboring countries.

But lauding their work with a Peace Prize would certainly anger Israeli authorities, who accuse the organization of colluding with Hamas.