Chinese Economic and Commercial Counsellor Pays Courtesy Call on Minister of Technical and Higher Education

The Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Ramatulai Wurie, on Thursday received Mr. Peng Wang, the newly appointed Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone, during a courtesy visit held at the Ministry’s Conference Room, Sababu Building, New England Ville, Freetown. Mr. Wang was accompanied by Education Officer Liu Siyu.

The visit reaffirmed the strong bilateral ties between Sierra Leone and the People’s Republic of China, with particular emphasis on technical, vocational, and higher education cooperation. Mr. Wang underscored China’s commitment to supporting Sierra Leone’s human capital development alongside its infrastructure and industrial investments.

“We believe investments should not only create infrastructure but also empower Sierra Leoneans, especially youth, with technical and managerial expertise,” Mr. Wang stated. He cited projects such as the automobile assembly plant and Leone Rock Mining Company as examples where sustainable vocational training must be embedded.

As part of his proposals, Mr. Wang introduced a “train-the-trainer” model designed to build local vocational training capacity, while also advocating for stronger collaboration between Sierra Leonean universities and Chinese educational institutions. He assured the Ministry of the Embassy’s open-door policy and expressed hope for expanded government-to-government and people-to-people exchanges.

Mr. Wang also announced that on-site interviews for the MOFCOM and Chinese Government Scholarships would proceed on June 1st at the Kungfu Institute, despite the public holiday, with over 900 applications received—demonstrating the high interest of Sierra Leonean youth to pursue higher education opportunities in China.

In addition, Mr. Wang highlighted several key upcoming collaboration areas:

Cultural Exchange Center Project: A feasibility study mission from the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) is expected in June to assess the proposed site in Soryong.

24th Chinese Bridge Competition: Scheduled for June 10th, the competition will feature a keynote address by Minister Wurie, with winners earning a chance to represent Sierra Leone in the global finals in China.

Luban Workshop Initiative: Ongoing discussions aim to establish a vocational and technical training hub in partnership with the Tianjin Municipal Government, aligning with Sierra Leone’s national workforce development strategy.

In her response, Minister Wurie warmly welcomed the delegation and praised China’s sustained contributions to Sierra Leone’s educational sector. “You’ve only been here a month, but it already feels like you’ve been part of us for years,” she said.

Dr. Wurie further commended the wide range of scholarships and institutional partnerships supported by China, including the MOFCOM scholarships, the Ambassador’s Scholarship, and the partnership between Kono University of Science and Technology and the China University of Geosciences.

She also referenced the importance of agricultural cooperation, citing her recent visit to China with His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio to explore innovations that could strengthen Sierra Leone’s Feed Salone initiative.

Both parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening cooperation in education, cultural exchange, and skills development, with the aim of preparing Sierra Leone’s youth for active participation in the global knowledge economy.

Richard Williams

SLENA Correspondent — Ministry of Technical and Higher Education

📧 Email: richard.williams@mthe.gov.sl | 📞 Tel: +232 03086143