Ethiopian Envoy Calls for Research-Led Partnership with Pakistan

ISLAMABAD ( WNAM REPORT ): Ethiopian Ambassador to Pakistan Dr. Oumer Hussain Oba said that research can serve as a key driver of stronger Pakistan-Ethiopia relations, particularly by creating new opportunities for collaboration between universities, researchers and academic institutions of the two countries. He said that joint research in agriculture, science and technology, social sciences, vocational education and other fields could promote knowledge sharing, innovation and mutually beneficial cooperation between Pakistan and Ethiopia.
Addressing a meeting at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), the Ethiopian Ambassador said that Pakistan and Ethiopia enjoy longstanding friendly relations based on mutual respect and people-to-people contacts which can be further strengthened through educational, research and economic cooperation. He said Ethiopia is an important diplomatic hub in Africa and the host country of the African Union and is keen to promote cooperation with Pakistan in various fields.
Dr Oumer Hussain Oba identified research as a central area of educational cooperation between the two countries and said there was vast potential for research collaboration between Ethiopian universities and AIOU. He said researchers and universities from both countries could benefit from each other’s expertise and experiences through joint research projects, academic exchanges, seminars and other scholarly activities.
He said cooperation in agriculture, science and technology, social sciences, vocational education and other important areas could provide an effective platform for joint research and knowledge sharing. Such collaboration, he added, could contribute to innovation and the development of solutions to common challenges faced by both countries.
Speaking on the occasion, AIOU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood said that the 53-year-old diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Ethiopia provide a strong foundation for friendship and mutual cooperation. He said education and research are among the important means of further strengthening relations between the two countries.
Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood expressed AIOU’s desire to enhance collaboration with Ethiopian universities in teacher education, agriculture, science and technology, vocational training and other educational and research fields. He said that research collaboration could open new avenues for academic exchange and provide researchers and students with opportunities to benefit from the expertise and experiences of institutions in both countries.
The Vice Chancellor said that the meeting was an important step towards establishing meaningful educational and research linkages between universities of Pakistan and Ethiopia. He expressed the hope that academic and research cooperation between the two countries would expand further in the future.
In his welcome remarks, AIOU Registrar Raja Umar Younis said that the visit of the Ethiopian Ambassador to Allama Iqbal Open University was a matter of pride for the university. He said the meeting provided an opportunity to explore avenues of educational and research cooperation with Ethiopian universities and to identify areas where bilateral collaboration could be further developed.
Director International Collaboration and Exchange Dr. Zahid Majeed gave a detailed presentation on the history of Allama Iqbal Open University, its educational services and ongoing academic and research activities in various fields.
The national anthems of Pakistan and Ethiopia were played at the beginning of the ceremony.
At the conclusion, a tree-plantation campaign was launched under the “Ethiopian Green Legacy Initiative,” linking the friendly relations between Pakistan and Ethiopia with a shared commitment to an environmentally friendly and sustainable future. Ethiopian Ambassador Dr. Oumar H Oba and AIOU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood inaugurated the campaign by planting saplings.