Senegalese Official Elected Ambassador of Peking University Scholarship Cohort

Habibou Dia, Director of Communications at Senegal's Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs, has been elected ambassador of the DongFang Scholarship Program cohort at Peking University. The election took place among representatives from 58 countries. Dia received 30 votes, defeating candidates from Cuba, Myanmar, Trinidad and Tobago, Pakistan, and the Maldives.

The ambassador position carries responsibility for uniting participants around a shared vision and strengthening ties among former program beneficiaries. Dia outlined a plan centered on friendship between peoples and sustainable cooperation between cohort members and Chinese partners.

He proposed an open governance structure that includes vice ambassadors, regional focal points, and thematic clusters covering economics, law, and finance. The structure aims to ensure collective participation and gender balance.

Dia suggested that DongFang alumni could contribute to China's Global South Think Tank Alliance. He also called for a think tank and publication platform to showcase participant work, along with a future global congress for alumni and a media platform focused on Global South issues.

The DongFang Scholarship Program brings participants from multiple countries to Peking University each year to study governance, international cooperation, and Global South development.