Pakistan, Ethiopia discuss education cooperation framework, draft MoU in focus

October 09, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan Ethiopia ties in education are set for a boost as the two countries discussed a structured framework for cooperation in higher education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), STEAM education, research and institutional linkages, with a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on education cooperation at the centre of talks.

Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui received Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Oumer Hussien Oba at the Ministry of Education and Professional Training for a courtesy call, said a press release issued.

Dr Siddiqui said Pakistan attaches great importance to its longstanding and friendly relations with Ethiopia, which established diplomatic ties in 1973, and described the opening of the Ethiopian Embassy in Islamabad in 2022 as an important step towards deeper engagement.

The draft MoU was shared with the Ethiopian side through diplomatic channels in December 2025.

Dr Siddiqui welcomed an update from Ethiopia on its status and said Pakistan was ready to consider any comments to finalise a mutually agreeable text.

He proposed that focal persons from both sides engage to resolve outstanding issues once Ethiopia’s comments are received, after which the two countries could move towards finalisation and signing through diplomatic channels.

On higher education, Dr Siddiqui pointed to potential for joint seminars, workshops and webinars, guest lectures, visiting scholars, student networking, cultural exchanges, research showcases, innovation activities and the sharing of educational resources.

He encouraged direct linkages between universities and research institutions, subject to their mandates and applicable procedures, saying this could promote faculty interaction, research collaboration and greater academic exposure for students.

He also saw considerable potential in technical and vocational education and skills development.

He highlighted the role of Pakistan’s National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and relevant Ethiopian institutions in exchanging expertise on skills development, competency standards, industry-responsive training and institutional capacity building.

Sharing information on emerging skills needs and labour-market trends, he added, could help align training programmes with job opportunities.

The two sides also discussed STEAM education, with an emphasis on inquiry-based and interdisciplinary learning, research activities and the exchange of educational practices and teaching resources.

Dr Siddiqui said Pakistan was ready to collaborate with Ethiopia in these emerging areas.

He said both countries should work to turn their cordial relations into practical cooperation that creates tangible opportunities for students, teachers, educational institutions and the skills sector.

Dr Oba appreciated the warm welcome and expressed commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

He emphasized the importance of closer cooperation in education, research and institutional linkages, and highlighted the potential for greater collaboration between universities and research institutions of the two countries.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advance the proposed cooperation framework and identify concrete areas for collaboration to deepen educational and people-to-people ties.

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