By Gashaw Fentahun
The Inauguration ceremony of the temporary headquarters of the Organization of educational cooperation (OEC) was held in Addis Ababa. In the opening ceremony, The Secretary-General of the Organization of Educational Cooperation (OEC), H.E. Manssour Bin Mussallam, in his speech, on the Organization of Educational Cooperation (OEC), gave more emphasis on the Organization’s Strategic Plan (2022-2029) a framework for the implementation of contextual, nationally-led balanced and inclusive education policies, to be made operational through the OEC’s Program for 2022-2023.
His Excellency, in his speech, to achieve the Universal Declaration of Balanced and Inclusive Education as a common standard, that all peoples, nations, and institutions may strive, collectively and individually, to achieve Humanity’s eternal aspirations, the OEC is working very hard with other partners. In his critical notes, the Secretary-General said the firm had strong confidence to achieve the importance of South-South cooperation to address common challenges and achieve shared aspirations on education.
His Excellency strongly elaborated that, The OEC is constantly worried that practical South-South cooperation requires the reinforcement of regional exchanges, and integration was the focus area of the OEC gives more weight. National capacity-building, endogenous technology development, debt, and fresh financing sustainability have been the Organization’s Strategic Plan focus for 2022-2029 and Programmed for 2022 – 2023, as he said.
In his way of conclusion, the Secretary-General states that Change needs to the existing education systems is mandatory; this inevitably implies that the mobilization of human, technical, and financial resources is essential. Therefore, supporting countries in the process of transformation is our priority task. As the Secretary-General said, The OEC is designed with a systemic and innovative approach, capable of efficiently supporting the reforms to which its Member States aspire and facilitating inter-sectoral collaborations in research and implementation needed, as he concluded.
H.E Misganaw Arega, state minister, ministry of foreign affairs of the FDRE. In his speech, OEC and Ethiopia take on a general duty and responsibility to coordinate their efforts to realize a third, alternative, and equitable development through and from education. The state minister provoked on his critical notes that Ethiopia remains committed to implementing the Universal Declaration of Balanced and Inclusive Education, pressuring that education remains the priority of the Government as a pedal for growth and development.
The state minister ratified that the OEC’s establishment here in Ethiopia as a headquarter had brought an opportunity to reinforce South-South cooperation and to benefit from technical support towards enhancing systemic governance and policy implementation towards the realization of Balanced and Inclusive Education for all, especially for our country Ethiopia.
The Organization of Educational Cooperation is an international intergovernmental organization founded by countries across the Global South, i.e., Latin American, Caribbean, African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Pacific Island countries. The need to enhance systemic governance and policy frameworks, build capacities in balanced and inclusive education; democratize knowledge and research; bridge the techno-digital divide; strengthen horizontal and cross-sectoral cooperation; and enhance solidarity-based financing and sustainable debt agreements are the objectives of the OECs as stated in the inauguration ceremony.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Misganu Arga, former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Secretary General of the Organization Mansour Bin Musallam, and other guests attended the ceremony.
It has been pointed out that the opening of the headquarters will enable Ethiopia to increase its cooperation with the World Educational Cooperation Organization.
