Ambassador Dessie Of Ethiopia To Korea Receives Honorary Doctorate From Yeungnam University... "Contributed To Localizing Saemaul"

Yeungnam University (President Choi Waecheol) awarded an honorary Doctorate in International Development Studies to Dessie Dalkie Dukamo, Ambassador of Ethiopia to the Republic of Korea, at the Grand Hall of the Cheonma Art Center on the 20th. This conferral was intended to recognize his diplomatic contributions to Ethiopia's national development and human resources training, as well as to the promotion of friendly cooperation between Korea and Ethiopia.

Ambassador Dessie, during his tenure as Ambassador of Ethiopia to the Republic of Korea, has played an important role in incorporating Korea's development experience and the Saemaul Development model into Ethiopia's national development strategy. In particular, he has emphasized, at both the federal and regional government levels in Ethiopia, the importance of Saemaul Development and human resources training, serving as a bridge in localizing and disseminating Saemaul Studies.

Ambassador Desai, who received an honorary doctorate from Yeungnam University, is delivering a greeting.

Ambassador Dessie previously served as Governor of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia and as Minister of Science and Technology, and since 2022 he has been serving as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to the Republic of Korea and as non-resident ambassador to three Southeast Asian countries. From his time as governor, over approximately 13 years, he has worked to learn from Korea's development experience and share it with Ethiopia and various developing countries. He has also taken the lead in academic human resources training and Saemaul Development policies, thereby contributing to the joint development of the two countries and to the enhancement of mutual understanding.

At the degree conferral ceremony that day, Ambassador Dessie said, "I am honored and feel a great sense of responsibility to receive an honorary doctorate from Yeungnam University, which has been the cradle of systematizing the Saemaul Undong into Saemaul Studies and spreading it throughout the world." He continued, "Through training at Yeungnam University in the past, I was able to realize that the Saemaul Undong begins with a sense of ownership and community participation that are essential for sustainable development," and emphasized, "The Saemaul spirit, which has expanded from diligence, self-help, and cooperation to sharing, service, and creativity, is deeply aligned with Ethiopia's development vision." He also stated, "This degree is more than an honor bestowed on an individual; as it symbolizes future cooperation between Ethiopia and the Republic of Korea, I will continue to strengthen the partnership between our two countries and devote myself to sustainable development."

Yeungnam University has steadily pursued cooperation with Ethiopia not merely as international exchange, but from the perspective of repaying a historical bond and contributing globally. During the Korean War, which began in 1950, before the Republic of Korea and Ethiopia established formal diplomatic relations, Ethiopia was the only African country to send combat troops, becoming a precious ally that defended Korea's freedom and peace.

Even after the war, Ethiopia has been regarded as a brother nation that spared no humanitarian support, such as establishing an orphanage in Korea and continuing medical assistance. To put into practice its gratitude and intention to repay this historical bond, Yeungnam University has continued educational cooperation using Saemaul Studies as a medium. Through the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul (PSPS), established in 2011, the university has invited 44 young leaders from Ethiopia in the fields of community development, public policy, forest resources, and water resources and environment, providing them with full scholarships and living expenses and supporting a master's program that transfers Korea's development experience based on Saemaul Studies. In addition, including on-site training for more than 600 public officials from the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR), the university has shared the theory and practical principles of Saemaul Development with about 1,000 people to date.

It was in the midst of these efforts that the relationship between Yeungnam University and Ambassador Dessie also began. In 2015, while serving as Governor of SNNPR, Ambassador Dessie recognized the potential of the Saemaul Undong and personally visited Yeungnam University to participate in training. He then completed the Saemaul training program together with senior officials of the regional government and incorporated Saemaul Development into the region's development strategy. This experience led to a large-scale policy training program for SNNPR public officials in 2016 with support from KOICA, and the program was selected as the best case in KOICA's global education and training, thereby gaining recognition for its international excellence.

Yeungnam University President Choi Waecheol said, "The Republic of Korea has grown from a country that once received assistance from the international community to a country that now repays the nations that defended its freedom and shares its development experience with the world," adding, "It is important to repay, in various ways, the grace of the Ethiopian youth who risked their lives to protect the Republic of Korea even before diplomatic relations were established, and we believe that repaying through Saemaul Studies education and cooperation, whose effectiveness has been verified, is one such way."

He went on to say, "At Yeungnam University, we believe that helping to genuinely improve residents' lives through sharing Saemaul Studies is true repayment and a core value of global contribution," and added, "Taking the conferral of this honorary doctorate on the Ethiopian ambassador as an opportunity, we will convey our gratitude to the Ethiopian government and people, further expand cooperation across Africa, and more faithfully fulfill our role in contributing to the common prosperity of human society."