On August 22, 2014, Award Ceremony of 2014-2015 Scholarship of the Government of the People's Republic of China to Ethiopian Students was held by the Chinese Embassy, Addis Ababa. H.E. Mr. Xie Xiaoyan attended the ceremony and delivered congratulatory remarks. H.E. Mr. Kaba Urgessa, State Minister of Education, Dr. Jeilu Oumer, Vice President of Addis Ababa University, Mr. Genet Teshome, Director-General of Asian-Oceanic Department of Ethiopian Foreign Ministry also attended this ceremony.

H.E. Ambassador Xie Xiaoyan first congratulated the Ethiopian Students on their successful selection to further their studies in China. He told the students a Chinese saying: if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a century, educate people. Human resource development through education is fundamental to our country's sustainable development and long-term prosperity. China and Ethiopia enjoy profound traditional friendship. The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the cooperation with Ethiopia in human resources development. The exchange and cooperation in education is an important component of the Comprehensive Cooperative Partnership between our two countries.

Ambassador Xie Xiaoyan also said that when H.E. Madame Liu Yandong, Vice Premier of the State Council of China, visited Ethiopia late last year, announced that from the year 2014, the Chinese government scholarships for Ethiopian young people would be doubled from 40 to 80. China will continue its efforts to further bolster the bilateral cooperation in education, and all other sectors with Ethiopia.

The Ambassador expected the Ethiopian students who will go to China follow the example of H.E. Dr. Mulatu Teshome, President of Ethiopia, who got his PhD. degree in China, will learn the Chinese language, better understand the Chinese culture. 

H.E. Mr. Kaba Urgessa said that China has been supporting the human resource development program efforts of the government of Ethiopia by providing long and short term training opportunities for the last several years. This support is witnessed this year also that China has provided 44 postgraduate as well as more than 300 short term training opportunities. The Government of Ethiopia is so grateful for the support to them given by the Chinese Government.

Mr. Kaba hoped that the students would acquire new knowledge and also learn the rich culture of the Chinese people during their stay in China. They were required to be focused in study, take a great responsibility of bringing home the knowledge and contribute for the development and well being of Ethiopia.

Mr. Abdul Hafiz Ezedin, customer manager of HUAWEI Technologies Ethiopia PLC. and committee member of Ethiopian Wushu Association said, was happy to see that more and more Ethiopian students chose Chinese universities. He told the students that there are advanced education systems in Chinese universities, teachers and students were very nice to people and were willing to help the foreign students adapt before long. He said the education should not only be in the campus, but also outside the wall. He suggested his followers to travel and see more in the society to learn the development of China.

44 Ethiopian Students are from more than 30 universities of Ethiopia, they were very glad and would appreciate the opportunities to study in China. They were committed that they would study hard to serve the country in the future and would like to help spreading the two different cultures in order to deepen the relation between both countries in various aspects. The students, officers from the Ethiopian Government and diplomats from the Embassy of China had a very good communication and friendly exchange.