- Ambassador Oumer H. Oba and Vice Chancellor Nasir Mahmood Plant Seedlings of Fraternity at AIOU Campus
ISLAMABAD: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Pakistan, H.E. Dr. Oumer H. Oba, and Vice Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood, jointly launched the Ethiopian Green Legacy Initiative at the university’s premises on Thursday, underscoring the enduring friendship between Ethiopia and Pakistan and the importance of collective action to address environmental challenges.
The tree-planting initiative was conceived as a symbol of Ethiopia-Pakistan friendship, with the planting of seedlings representing the strengthening of fraternity, cooperation and people-to-people ties between the Ethiopian Embassy in Islamabad and AIOU.
Following the plantation activity, Ambassador Oumer Oba held an interactive session with AIOU faculty members and senior academics, during which he highlighted the broader objectives of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative. He noted that the programme is aimed at supporting climate-change mitigation, forest restoration, food security, environmental sustainability and the development of a greener economy.
Ambassador Highlights Ethiopia’s Economic and Tourism Potential
During his interaction with the faculty, the Ambassador provided an overview of Ethiopia-Pakistan relations, highlighting the historical bonds between the two countries as well as Ethiopia’s economic growth, demographic potential, cultural diversity and tourism opportunities.
He emphasized the importance of developing stronger institutional linkages between Pakistani and Ethiopian universities and academic institutions, particularly in scientific and vocational education, agricultural research, innovation, and faculty and student exchange programmes.
Ambassador Oumer Oba also briefed participants on Ethiopia’s expanding education sector, including the growth of educational institutions and efforts to improve literacy and access to education. He called upon academia to play a greater role in building sustainable and knowledge-based links between the two countries. Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood appreciated Ethiopia’s socio-economic development and highlighted the longstanding friendly relations between Ethiopia and Pakistan.
He reaffirmed AIOU’s commitment to expanding bilateral educational and academic cooperation, particularly through institutional partnerships, knowledge exchange and collaborative programmes with Ethiopian counterparts.
The Vice Chancellor also emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening relations with friendly African countries, including Ethiopia, and encouraged greater engagement between educational institutions of the two countries.
Focus on Institutional Partnerships and Joint Research
The interactive session concluded with a shared commitment to further strengthen Ethiopia-Pakistan relations through academic and institutional cooperation.
Both sides agreed on the importance of establishing meaningful linkages between AIOU and relevant Ethiopian universities and institutions, with potential areas of collaboration including agricultural sciences, scientific and vocational education, joint research, faculty development, student exchanges and knowledge-sharing programmes.
The launch of the Green Legacy Initiative at AIOU was described as both an environmental undertaking and a symbolic step toward nurturing deeper educational, cultural and people-to-people relations between Ethiopia and Pakistan.
BY: The Times Union
