On November 5, Yang Zhenbin, Party Secretary of JLU, met Ambassador Brima Kapuwa (vice-ministerial level), Sierra Leonean permanent representative to African Union and a JLU alumnus. Also in the meeting were Ambassador Kapuwa’s two attendants and Huang Lihua, vice director of Foreign Affair Office of Jilin Province, Bian Tie, vice president of JLU, and relevant staff from Alumni Liaison and Educational Fund Management Office, College of International Education and School of International and Public Affairs, etc.

Secretary Yang first of all extended a warm welcome to Ambassador Kapuwa for his return to his Alma Mater. He then introduced the recent development of JLU and some of its advanced and specialized disciplines. He also congratulated Ambassador Kapuwa for the achievements he had made. Secretary Yang pointed out that China has maintained a long-lasting traditional friendship with African countries. Under the “One Belt and One Road Initiative”, the exchange and cooperation between both sides have become closer. He wishes that Ambassador Kapuwa, as an excellent representative of JLU’s international students, would actively promote JLU and put forward some precious suggestion for its development.

Ambassador Kapuwa thanked JLU for the warm reception. He took his return as a great honor to himself, which was closely related to the cultivation of his Alma Mater. As Sierra Leonean representative to African Union, he would continue to work for the cooperation between China and African countries, and between China and Sierra Leon. He would strengthen ties between all sides in terms of culture and education. Also he would further enhance the overseas influence of JLU by actively promoting his Alma Mater on the international stage of Africa.

During his visit, Ambassador Kapuwa gave an academic report to the teachers and students of JLU titled “China-Africa Relationship beyond Resource Diplomacy”. Centering on the substance of China-Africa relationship, Ambassador Kapuwa analyzed the challenges and development the relationship was facing from multiple aspects, such as history, theory, actual changes, etc. He emphasized that the present China-Africa relationship was not only the crystallization of a long-term friendship, but also the relationship that met the national interests and the expectations for development of all related countries. He clarified some international misunderstandings for the relationship and pointed out the decisive role China played in Africa’s stability and development.

Ambassador Kapuwa visited his teachers and had a talk with the teachers and students for School of International and Public Affairs. He, together with his attendants, visited the University History Museum and the international student apartment he once had lived in as a student.

Brima Kapuwa was on his master and doctoral programs in JLU from 2006 to 2012 and got his PhD. in Contemporary International Relationship and Law. He specialized in issues concerning diplomacy, pubic policy, human right, peace, security, etc. In October 2018 he started to work as Sierra Leonean ambassador to Ethiopia, permanent representative to African Union, and representative of UN African Economic Committee.