Australian Embassy
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, Djibouti, South Sudan, Central African Republic, African Union, IGAD, UNECA

Speech by Australian Ambassador to Ethiopia — HE Ms Lisa Filipetto

Speech by Australian Ambassador to Ethiopia — HE Ms Lisa Filipetto

Australia Awards Reception

Addis Hilton Hotel, Ethiopia

20 October 2011

Excellencies, Alumni, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

It is a great pleasure to welcome you all this evening to celebrate the selection of the Australia Awards scholarship recipients from Ethiopia.

To all the scholarship awardees gathered here this evening, congratulations!

Australia is very pleased that Ethiopia has been successful in obtaining scholarships for 18 masters level and 3 PhD students to study in Australia

You have made it through a highly competitive selection process. 2,633 candidates applied for Australian Masters level scholarships this year and 310 candidates from more than 40 African countries will be going to Australia.

You were successful because of your qualifications and because you could articulate your vision of how your scholarship could assist in Ethiopia’s future development.

The Australian Government is committed to broadening and deepening our engagement with Africa and sees the Government of Ethiopia as an important partner in the expansion of our development cooperation in Africa.

Providing support in human resource development and capacity building is one of the key elements in this enhanced engagement.

Through the Australia Awards, Australia seeks to develop the capacity and leadership skills of Ethiopians so that they can contribute to development in their home country and build people-to-people links at individual, institutional and country levels with Australia.

I am happy to say, that as part of the approved Australian Awards program for this year, the Australian Government is also offering for the very first time 20 Leadership Awards to high achieving applicants and one of these went to an Ethiopian, Mr Alemken Birhan Jegnie.

These awards are intended for students who have the potential to assume leadership roles in influencing development outcomes, both in their home countries and in their region.

I congratulate the two women who have been successful in obtaining scholarships. However, I would like to encourage more women to apply for these awards so that the Australian Government’s gender equality objectives in relation to the scholarships program can be met.

The Australian Government has been running scholarship programs in various forms in Africa since 1960 and has supported over 4000 students from Africa to study in Australia.

Australia Awards are being provided to African students in increasing numbers, up to 1000 per annum by 2013 in a range of areas that reflect the priorities identified by partner countries and where Australia has expertise.

In 2012, Australia will offer up to 750 short and long term awards across 45 targeted African countries, including Ethiopia.

The scholarships program not only underpins Australia’s sectoral assistance to Africa – in mining, agriculture/food security, water and sanitation, and maternal and child health – but will support African human resource development in areas that our partner governments have identified as priorities, such as environment, governance and public sector management. Ethiopia has already benefited from short term awards in agriculture, trade policy and mining.

This growth in the scholarships program is part of the expansion of our Australian aid program in line with a commitment by the Australian Government to increase our total global aid budget to 0.5% of Gross National Income by 2015:

The intention is to increase official development assistance to Africa to about $500 million a year by 2015.

To the departing students, I wish you every success in your studies and a rewarding experience living in Australia. I am sure you will be great ambassadors for your country.

When you return, we look forward to including you in alumni activities, including in professional development and networking.

Building strong partnerships between Australia and Ethiopia is in our mutual interest. We know that the Australia Award recipients will play their part in building this friendship in the future.