Somalia's Puntland State Sends Off 290 Students to Ethiopia

By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter

Somalia, 5 November 2025 — The Ministry of Education and Higher Learning of Puntland State held a farewell ceremony in Garowe for 290 students granted scholarships to study in Ethiopia.

The students will pursue Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD degrees across various universities in Ethiopia.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Ministry, parents, and the scholarship recipients.

Director of the Higher Education Department, Adirahman Jamah Farah, said the initiative reflects Puntland’s commitment to expanding educational cooperation with Ethiopia.

“It is an honor for us to support Puntland students in obtaining scholarships. Each year, the number of opportunities increases as we strengthen our educational partnership,” Abdirahman said.

Minister of State for Education, Abdi Ali Farah, encouraged the students to work hard and represent their country with pride, describing them as future ambassadors of Puntland and Somalia.

“These students represent the future of Puntland — they are the bridge connecting Ethiopia and Somalia,” the Minister of State said.

Last year, Puntland received 219 scholarships from Ethiopia; this year’s figure marks a significant increase.

Officials said they expect the number of scholarships increase further in the coming years.

Earlier this year, Puntland and Ethiopia agreed to establish a direct cooperation framework covering trade, investment, energy, and infrastructure development — signaling a new chapter in bilateral relations between the two neighbors.