Samuel Bogale
Addis Abeba, January 15/2018 – Following initiatives taken by a few individuals two years ago to build a study center in Adwa town, some 982* km north of the capital Addis Abeba, in Tigray regional state, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has today said his government was committed to build the Adwa Pan-African University. He also urged the public to contribute to the realization of the university.
The foundation of the university was laid by PM Hailemariam Desalegn and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni in March 2017.
Speaking at a national conference being held at the Sheraton Addis today and tomorrow, Prime Minister Hailemariam said that the federal government has allocated more than US$7 million (around 200 million Birr) and that preparations were underway to begin the construction of the university. His government will also work to garner global diplomatic supports for the project, according to PM Hailemariam.
The design of the university was made by a group of volunteer Ethiopian architects, which portrays different features of the Victory of Adwa, Ethiopian as well as African countries’ cultural relics was presented at the conference this morning.
According to the committee formed to coordinate and manage the construction of the university, the initial concept of the university was first presented at the 29th African Union Summit last year here in Addis Abeba and has received applauds by the attending heads of state and governments of African countries. Bitew Belay of the coordination committee said the Tigray regional state has allocated 150 hectares of land for the construction of the university.
Construction of the university will commence in two months time and is expected to be finalized by 2020. In its first year the university plans to enroll about 2000 students. AS
Ed’s Note: this story is corrected to change the distance from Addis Abeba to Adwa, which was incorrectly states as 576 before the change.
