BUJUMBURA, August 30th (ABP) – On Monday 26 August, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Burundi organized a reception in Bujumbura for the scholarship holders, class of 2024-2025, before their departure for China, in order to exchange views on the expectations of their country of origin and to give them advice.
In her speech, the Chinese ambassador to Burundi, Zhao Jiangping, said that the scholarship holders had chosen a variety of specialities. She pointed out that young people are an important force in promoting exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations. “Through your stay in China, you will be able to get to know this vast country, rich in history and culture, better. You will certainly be ambassadors for promoting cultural exchanges and dynamic cooperation between our two countries”, she said.
According to Mrs. Zhao, cooperation in education is a major pillar of cooperation between China and Burundi. By way of illustration, she quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping, who said that talent was the primary resource for the country’s development. She went on to say that from September 2024, more than a hundred students will begin and others will continue their studies in China under various government, ministerial and university scholarships, as well as those offered by the Confucius Institute. She also pointed out that the Chinese embassy in Burundi has organized more than 40 seminars in China this year, attended by almost 300 Burundians, to learn from their experiences in domains such as governance, agriculture, medicine, education and the media.
Given that those scholarship holders are at the most wonderful age in their lives, full of energy and courage, passion and hope, Mrs. Zhao encouraged them to make the most of that opportunity in China by tirelessly acquiring knowledge, with the aim of contributing in the future to the realization of the vision of Burundi as an emerging country in 2040 and a developed country in 2060, and to contribute their efforts to strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Mr Ferdinand Bashikako, who represented the Government of Burundi at the meeting, pointed out that since 2009, the Chinese government has been awarding long-term university bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral scholarships every year. Mr Bashikako took the opportunity to express the gratitude of the government of the Republic of Burundi to the government of the People’s Republic of China for awarding those scholarships to Burundian executives, as part of their capacity-building efforts. “Burundi recognises that China is a reliable and caring partner for our country”, he said, adding that the government of Burundi is also grateful that China has understood that without capacity building, there can be no development, and that knowledge is synonymous with power.
“Any country that wants to develop must provide and ensure quality education”, emphasized Mr. Bashikako. To that end, he asked the scholarship holders to carry out their main mission of study and to adopt exemplary and dignified behaviour during their stay in China by respecting the laws and regulations of the host country, especially the academic regulations of their various university campuses, with a view to strengthening the friendship and cooperation that exist between the two countries. The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation also asked them to draw inspiration from the Chinese cultural values that have made China a respectable power on the international scene. He winked at the scholarship holders: “First of all, strengthen your capacities and skills so that when you return to your native country, you can make the most of your knowledge and skills, which Burundi so badly needs to implement the vision of Burundi as an emerging country in 20240 and a developed country in 2060”.
Mr Régis Bayihaye, who spoke on behalf of the scholarship holders for the 2024-2025 academic year, promised that they would study hard so that at the end of their studies they could return to their homeland to help achieve Burundi’s 2040-2060 vision. He expressed his hope that their native country would develop, inspired by the spectacular experience and development of China, which would serve as a good example to them. A draw was held to determine who would receive gifts such as smartphones, laptops and many others.