Ethiopia and Pakistan have agreed to collaborate across various sectors of education, including science and technology, agriculture, health, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
This agreement was reached during a meeting between Jemal Beker Abdula, Special Envoy and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia, and Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The discussion focused on advancing mutual cooperation in education to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, skills, and expertise.
Ambassador Jemal Beker expressed Ethiopia’s eagerness to strengthen bilateral ties through education diplomacy. He highlighted the importance of collaboration in education for fostering long-lasting and sustainable relations between the two countries. The Ambassador also mentioned the interest of Ethiopian medical experts and recalled a delegation from a prestigious Ethiopian university visiting Pakistan in 2023, indicating a strong desire for institution-to-institution collaboration.
Furthermore, Ambassador Jemal Beker briefed the HEC chairman on a plantation campaign organized by the Ethiopian Embassy in collaboration with Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change, universities, civil society, and the business community. This campaign was conducted under the Green Legacy Initiative of Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed to promote friendship between the two nations.
On the Pakistani side, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed discussed advancements and digitalization in the education sector, including the establishment of digital libraries and smart classrooms to provide education access to millions of students in Pakistan and abroad. He assured the ambassador of full support for enhancing cooperation and collaboration in the education sector between Ethiopia and Pakistan.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed also invited the ambassador to visit the HEC Headquarters and proposed facilitating delegations exchange between the two countries to further strengthen collaboration in education. He emphasized mutual assistance in the education sector to build robust nations together for global prosperity.
Additionally, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed informed the ambassador about the opening of the Global Engagement Department at HEC, which includes a desk for Africa with a special focus on Ethiopia.
