Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA: November 15 (EI) – Indonesia’s envoy to Ethiopia has emphasized Jakarta’s keen interest to support higher-education institutions in Ethiopia as a positive imputes to drive the two countries’ thriving public diplomacy.
Al Busyra Basnur, Indonesian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Djibouti and the African Union (AU), made the remarks on Friday on the margins of a public diplomacy-themed meeting that brought together officials at the Indonesian Embassy to Ethiopia and Wollo University community, where the two parties discussed harnessing higher educational institutions’ potential towards building public diplomacy.
Basnur, an author of a book titled “Public Diplomacy, Notes, Inspiration and Hope,” also shared his personal experiences to aspiring Wollo University students. The Indonesian envoy paid due emphasis on his life-long experiences that he acquired while serving in different missions representing his country across different continents.
Addressing leadership training to students inside the premises of Wollo University that was held under the auspicious of the “Indonesian Embassy Goes to Campus” Ethiopia series, Basnur also noted that the Asian nation’s aspiration towards sharing its best experiences to Ethiopia, with particular importance given to Indonesia’s know-how concerning building democratic institutions, economic growth and tourism development.
The embassy, in a statement sent to the Ethiopian Informer on Friday, also indicated that the visit to Wollo University envisaged “promoting better and closer bilateral cooperation between Ethiopia and Indonesia.”
Embassy officials also highlighted various scholarship opportunities that are offered by the Indonesian government to aspiring Ethiopian youth.
Abate Getahun (Dr), Wollo University President, also stressed the university’s readiness to work in collaboration with the Indonesian government across areas ranging from joint-research and studies to exchange programs with Indonesian universities.
Abate also indicated “the great potential” of university-to-university cooperation among the two countries.
According to figures from the Indonesian Embassy in Ethiopia, more than 60 Ethiopian students have received scholarship opportunities by the Indonesian government until 2019.
The embassy had also recently disclosed its plan to facilitate the participation of Ethiopian students in the upcoming Bali Democracy Students Conference, slated from December 5 to 6 in Bali, Indonesia. The annual conference is expected to attract close to 150 students from around the world.
The “Indonesian Embassy goes to Campus” initiative is expected to convene similar next discussions in the coming weeks across Ethiopian universities aiming at deepening the two countries’ bilateral ties, it was indicated.
Photo shows Al Busyra Basnur (L), Indonesian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Djibouti and the African Union (AU), as he joined Wollo University’s academic community under the auspicious of the “Indonesian Embassy Goes to Campus” Ethiopia series.
