Dr. Hodan Osman Abdi is Somalia's current Ambassador to China, appointed in October 2024. A fluent Mandarin speaker and long-time resident of China since 2005, she holds a Ph.D. in Communication Studies and has held academic roles at Zhejiang Normal University, where she founded the Center for East African Studies.

Her career spans diplomacy, academia, and cultural advocacy. She previously served as a senior advisor to the President and Prime Minister of Somalia, focusing on human capital development and Somalia-China economic relations. Dr. Abdi is known for her efforts to promote cross-cultural understanding and has received several awards, including "Women Leader of the Year" in 2024. Her work continues to strengthen the ties between Somalia and China.

Dr. Abdourahmane Ba is an international development expert with over two decades of leadership in public policy, monitoring, evaluation, learning (MEL), and adaptive governance across Africa. As a Statistician Engineer and Doctor of Business Administration, he has directed complex, multi-country programs in fragile and dynamic environments. He provides strategic oversight for governance reforms, institutional resilience, and evidence-based decision-making. His work with USAID, IFAD, the World Bank, UN-FAO, and the European Union has strengthened national and regional systems, improved program effectiveness, and introduced policy innovations.

Dr. Ba has served as Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party, managing large donor-funded programs and ensuring strategic alignment with development priorities. His expertise covers agriculture, energy, trade, WASH, and education. He transforms complex data into strategic insights for policymakers. As a bilingual strategist (French and English) and published author, Dr. Ba has advanced MEL practices and public policy evaluation through high-level research and advisory roles.

Dr. Ba combines technical rigor with strategic vision. He reinforces MEL systems, supports institutional learning, and guides governance reforms that deliver sustainable development results. His ability to link evidence, policy, and institutional capacity places him among Africa's leading development experts.

Dr. Abdurahman Abdullahi is a leading scholar and expert in Somali peacebuilding, governance, and higher education. He holds a Ph.D. in Modern Islamic History from McGill University and has authored four books and numerous academic publications on Somali conflict and reconciliation.

A founding figure in Somali civil society after 1991, Dr. Abdurahman has contributed to major national peace conferences since 1994. He is also a co-founder and the current Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Mogadishu University. His decades-long leadership has shaped both policy and education in Somalia, making him a vital asset to national capacity-building efforts.