Ethiopia has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with South Sudan by offering free education to 644 South Sudanese students for the 2024/2025 academic year, the Ethiopian Embassy in South Sudan announced.
According to Ethiopian Ambassador to South Sudan, Nabil Mehdi, the scholarship program includes 577 undergraduate and 67 postgraduate students.
This initiative aims to enhance educational opportunities for South Sudanese students while fostering deeper diplomatic and developmental ties between the two nations.
Ambassador Mehdi encouraged the beneficiaries to actively contribute to strengthening the relationship between Ethiopia and South Sudan.
South Sudan’s Director General for Training and External Relations at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Professor Touch Liem, expressed gratitude for Ethiopia’s continuous support in education and training.
He emphasized that such initiatives play a crucial role in addressing educational challenges and promoting regional collaboration.
Representatives of the South Sudanese students also extended their appreciation for the scholarship program, pledging to utilize their education for the mutual benefit of both countries.
As part of the academic collaboration, Ethiopia has allocated 110 scholarships for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs among the total 644 scholarships awarded.
These opportunities span various fields and are based on a recently amended Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education and South Sudan’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology.
This initiative highlights the growing partnership between Ethiopia and South Sudan in the education sector. By investing in human capital development, Ethiopia is not only supporting the academic aspirations of South Sudanese students but also reinforcing long-term diplomatic and economic ties.