Türkiye provides scholarships to 30 South Sudanese students

By Benjamin Takpiny

JUBA, South Sudan (AA) - The Turkish government provided scholarships to 30 South Sudanese students on Wednesday, bringing the total number granted in the last 10 years to 200.

Turkish Ambassador Erdem Mutaf said that education is among the priorities of Türkiye’s agenda in South Sudan.

“Türkiye has been providing higher education scholarships to South Sudanese students for the last 10 years, either in postgraduate or Ph.D. studies. Up to now, we have granted 200 scholarships in total, including this year,” Mutaf said while bidding farewell to the students.

He said he is very happy to announce that they have almost doubled the number of scholarship beneficiaries this year, which is a significant sign of importance that the Republic of Türkiye attaches to South Sudan.

“These scholarships cover all costs, including air tickets, university fees, accommodation and boarding and the pocket money of students during their stay in Türkiye. We have a memorandum of understanding for and cooperation in the field of higher education in South Sudan and Minister (of Higher Education) Gabriel Changson Chang is the main partner in this regard.”

Mutaf said those who graduated from Turkish universities are now bridges of culture between Türkiye and South Sudan.

He said Türkiye’s private sector will also be observing the new students as their new potential staff in the future in South Sudan.

“From now on, you will have a great responsibility to become South Sudanese ambassadors in Türkiye and Turkish ambassadors in South Sudan,” he added.

Changson Chang said it is another important day for a very strong relationship between South Sudan and Türkiye.

He said Türkiye has been offering a number of services to South Sudanese here in the country and also in Türkiye and that is why the number of students in South Sudan receiving the scholarships has now reached 200.

“Some have already graduated and some are still studying and others are going. Your Excellency, we are grateful that you have doubled the number of students this year from 15 to 30, and that is a great support.”

He appreciated the support provided by Türkiye and said they hope this development will continue.

“We as the government appreciate this role Türkiye and its people are playing, like giving our students the opportunity to better their education and to better their lives in the long run,” he added.

Amuor Abuoi, one of the student beneficiaries, who will be studying journalism in Türkiye, said she is happy to be among those students who are going to study under the Turkish government’s scholarship program.

“I am very happy and grateful to the Turkish people because it’s not easy for us in South Sudan. But at least they are helping us to achieve something. It’s a great honor to them, and I promised I will not fail. I will do my best to finish my studies over there,” she added.