Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bioreceived an honorary doctorate from CUG on March 2, 2024, and delivered an address at the conferment ceremony.
President Bio is learning about CUG.
CUG President WANG Yanxin extended a heartfelt welcome to President Bio on behalf of all teachers and students. He highlighted that China and Sierra Leone enjoy a long history of friendship and that Sierra Leone was one of the first African countries to join the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative.
WANG emphasized that CUG is willing to serve as a vital bond for the two countries to deepen cultural cooperation and exchanges, supporting the young people from Sierra Leone to further their education at CUG and empowering them to realize their aspirations.
In his acceptance speech, President Bio stated that he is deeply humbled and profoundly honored to receive the prestigious recognition from CUG, adding that it is not just a personal development but a testament to the enduring friendship between Sierra Leone and China.
“You do not need to be a leader to serve; rather, you have to be in service to others to become a leader. We all possess the incredible potential of intrinsic worth to serve humanity; our respective communities eagerly await us to address the myriad complexities and challenges facing mankind today,” President Bio passionately expressed.
Following the conferment ceremony, a Memorandum of Cooperation between CUG and Kono University of Science and Technology was signed by CUG President WANG Yanxin and Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Haja Ramatulai Wurie, to foster exchanges and cooperation.
President Bio met with representatives of both Sierra Leonean and Chinese students.
A total of 29 Sierra Leonean students have graduated from CUG in disciplines such as geology, geological resources & geological engineering, environmental science & engineering, and petroleum & natural gas engineering, including outstanding alumni like Edward Hinga Sandy, the current Executive Director of the National Investment Board of Sierra Leone.
(Edited and translated from the Chinese version)
