By Kei Emmanuel Duku
Ethiopian government has awarded scholarships to 36 South Sudanese medical doctors for postgraduate studies at various Ethiopian universities.
The announcement was made during a Farwell program organized for 36 students by the Ethiopian Ambassador to South Sudan.
Ambassador Nebil Mahdi Abdallahi, of the Ethiopian Embassy in Juba, stated that the scholarships are part of his government’s commitment to strengthening South Sudan’s human resource capacity.
He highlighted the long-standing cordial relationship between the two countries, noting that Ethiopia has consistently provided scholarships for South Sudanese students in undergraduate, graduate, technical, vocational, and other training programs.
“This postgraduate program is one of the premier programs in Ethiopia. South Sudanese students are receiving these awards from Ethiopia,” stated Abdallahi in a post on the Embassy’s Facebook page.
According to the statement, since 2014, over 100 South Sudanese medical doctors have graduated from 22 different medical specialities programs in Ethiopia.
Dr. John Rumunu, Director General of the Ministry of Health, expressed gratitude to the Ethiopian government for the scholarships offered to the 36 students.
“We expect you to work diligently and uphold good character. You should demonstrate the positive qualities of South Sudanese so that the people of Ethiopia recognize the character of our brothers in South Sudan,” said Rumunu.
Dr. Joseph Dut, one of the 36 students admitted to the postgraduate program at the University of Addis Ababa, and the team leader, expressed appreciation to the Ethiopian government for the scholarship, allowing them to continue their education at esteemed Ethiopian universities.
“We are very happy that Ethiopia is doing so much for us. We commend them and hope they continue this program,” said Dut.
The Ethiopian Embassy emphasized that the scholarships exemplify the enduring collaboration between South Sudan and Ethiopia.