ADDIS ABABA — Mekelle University (MU), Hawassa University (HU), and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) have formally signed a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the theme "Bridging Research and Practice for Community-Centered Development."
The signing ceremony featured lead representatives:
Dr. Fana Hagos (President, Mekelle University)
Dr. Tafesse Matewos (VP for Research & Technology Transfer, Hawassa University)
Mrs. Margrethe Volden (Country Director, NCA Ethiopia)
The event was witnessed by Dr. Tekeste Berhanu (Mekelle University), Mr. Tsegazeab Zegeye (NCA), and Mr. Yemane Salih (NCA).
Key Focus Areas:
Joint research, evidence generation, and knowledge-management publications.
Development of peace education curricula and short-course practitioner training.
Student internships and practicum placements within NCA projects.
Direct implementation of three priority interventions utilizing existing funding.
This agreement aligns NCA’s NORAD-funded projects in Tigray and Sidama with the universities’ Royal Norwegian Embassy-funded ICP-V program to advance food systems transformation, climate resilience, and peacebuilding.
NCA has also been invited to join the upcoming HU-MU Joint International Conference on Food Systems, scheduled for November 5–6, 2026, at Hawassa University.
