AMN PLUS-May 13,2026
The conference, held under the theme “Towards Future Prosperity and Sustainable Peace through Development Cooperation and Partnerships: KOICA,” brought together representatives from government ministries, development partners, volunteer host institutions, and World Friends Korea (WFK) volunteers to strengthen cooperation, encourage shared learning, and enhance the effectiveness of volunteer programs in Ethiopia.
Featuring presentations, panel discussions, and experience-sharing sessions, the conference officially opened with welcoming remarks by Kim Taeyoung, Country Director of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Ethiopia. In his remarks, he expressed appreciation to the participating institutions and highlighted the enduring and strong partnership between Ethiopia and KOICA.
Kim further noted that KOICA’s support in Ethiopia is closely aligned with the country’s Ten-Year Prosperity Development Plan and focuses on key national development priorities. He emphasized that volunteerism remains one of the most effective instruments for promoting knowledge exchange, mutual understanding, and people-to-people cooperation between Ethiopia and the Republic of Korea.
Delivering special remarks at the conference, Jung Kang, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ethiopia, underscored the importance of sustaining and deepening cooperation between the two nations. He also highlighted the vital role of volunteerism and development cooperation in fostering mutual understanding, strengthening institutional capacity, and advancing sustainable development efforts.
On his part, Dereje Girma, Director of Bilateral Cooperation Directorate at the Ministry of Finance of Ethiopia acknowledged the significant contribution of the WFK volunteer program in supporting technical cooperation and community development initiatives across Ethiopia. He further underscored the importance of reinforcing institutional collaboration and promoting partnership-driven approaches to ensure the sustainability and long-term effectiveness of development programs.
Throughout the conference, participants emphasized the importance of building stronger partnerships between volunteer host institutions and KOICA to enhance the quality, sustainability, and overall impact of volunteer activities, while also shaping future volunteer engagement strategies in Ethiopia.
The conference concluded with renewed commitments from participating institutions to strengthen cooperation, expand opportunities for shared learning, and continue supporting the successful implementation of the World Friends Korea volunteer program in Ethiopia through active partnership and mutual collaboration.
By Yonas Asres
