Knowledge, dialogue, and shared purpose at Addis Ababa University build a strong, unified, and successful nation-state – Deputy PM

Addis Ababa, January 2, 2026 (FMC) – Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Truneh has highlighted the enduring role of Addis Ababa University as a cornerstone of national development and intellectual leadership, praising its 75-year history of fostering research, debate, and the pursuit of knowledge.

Mr. Temesgen attended the university’s 75th anniversary celebrations along with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and various senior government officials. The event included a guest lecture delivered by the Prime Minister on the role of Ethiopian intellectuals in national prosperity.

In a social media post published today after the event, the Deputy Prime Minister described the university as “more than a center of higher learning” and called it “the intellectual conscience of Ethiopia,” noting that generations of scholars and students have challenged inherited limits, questioned established paths, and voiced the aspirations of a changing country.

He traced the university’s origins to its founding in 1950, emphasizing that it has long been a place where the nation’s most profound questions—of identity, justice, development, and transformation—have been first articulated.

He added that, in times of both upheaval and renewal, the energy of Ethiopia’s youth has found expression within its halls, often shaping the course of national history.

Deputy PM Temesgen noted that today, Addis Ababa University continues to serve as “an inexhaustible source of intellectual vitality,” guiding Ethiopia’s development toward inclusive growth, national cohesion, and sustainable prosperity. He emphasized that enduring progress “is never improvised; it is built through ideas tested by reason and institutions strengthened by time.”

He also referenced the guest lecture delivered by Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed during the university’s 75th anniversary celebrations, stating that it “powerfully connected yesterday with today, and today with tomorrow,” reaffirming the central role of knowledge, dialogue, and shared purpose in building a strong, unified, and successful nation-state.

In his message to alumni, the Deputy Prime Minister extended congratulations to scholars and professionals who studied at Addis Ababa University, noting that they “armed yourselves with knowledge, donned your academic gowns, and now serve Ethiopia and the world across institutions at home and abroad.”

He also saluted current students, saying their commitment to knowledge is key to preparing “a prosperous Ethiopia tomorrow.”

Deputy PM Temesgen concluded by observing that for seventy-five years, Addis Ababa University “has shaped minds, sparked transformative ideas, and illuminated Ethiopia’s path forward,” and expressed hope that the next seventy-five years will continue to produce “bolder ideas, deeper impact, and greater shared prosperity for our beloved country.”