Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire
Please discuss the milestones as well as challenges of Saudi-Côte d’Ivoire diplomatic relations. How do you envision your contribution to upscaling two-sided collaboration?
I would like to start by expressing my sincere gratitude to DQ Living Magazine for this opportunity to discuss diplomatic relations between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The two countries have maintained strong and friendly cooperation since establishing diplomatic relations in 1985. Official visits at different levels strengthen these relations. Among them, I would like to highlight the official visit of the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, to Saudi Arabia in 2019.
I would also like to recall the visit of the Special Advisor of the King, His Excellency Ahmed Bin Abdulaziz Kattan to Côte d’Ivoire in 2021. During this visit, the two countries signed a general agreement on cooperation in the economic, commercial, and investment fields, as well as in education, art, culture, media, tourism, youth, and sports. The agreement reflects a reciprocal interest in developing relations and intensifying cultural ties and common interests. I wish to see the other draft agreements signed by the two countries as soon as possible.
I would also like to highlight the Kingdom’s valuable contribution to funding many important projects in Côte d’Ivoire and to take this opportunity to reiterate our sincere thanks and deep gratitude to the Government of the Kingdom. With this foundation and solid background of cooperation, I foresee further contributions and developments in tourism, trade, and partnership between the two countries’ private sectors, among other initiatives. I will be glad to contribute to the development and strengthening of these relations.
You served as the Director of Asia-Pacific Region at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire. Which unexplored assets of this region the two countries can use to increase bilateral trade?
It was a unique experience for me. The Asia-Pacific Region is one of the most dynamic in the world, presenting a unique and diverse natural environment that can contribute to international and regional dialogue, and an economic outlook. At the same time, Côte d’Ivoire is the center of the West African region, with numerous natural resources that provide important opportunities for the development of the processing industry and agribusiness. My experience allowed me to rethink the importance of promoting trade both bilaterally and multilaterally. Accordingly, I believe that the cooperation between Côte d’Ivoire and Saudi Arabia could lead to multilateral trade opportunities with the Asia-Pacific Region.
Prospective Vision 2030 of Côte d’Ivoire and Saudi Vision 2030 have the same accomplishment date. How do you see the collaboration in this framework?
Côte d’Ivoire is committed to deepening its economy and institutions’ structural transformation to accelerate inclusive and sustainable development through the Côte d’Ivoire Vision 2030. This is a reference basis for action leading to a long-term partnership and political dialogue with its internal and external partners. Côte d’Ivoire 2030 builds on lessons from the country’s history and experiences since the 1960s. This process of self-assessment and analysis has helped to identify the main development policy that will lead the country to unprecedented transformations. On the other hand, Saudi Vision 2030 aims to strengthen and diversify the capabilities of the Saudi economy by turning its key strengths into tools for a fully diversified economy, providing better partnership opportunities and improving the business environment. With such strong and ambitious plans for the future, I believe that the two countries will maintain and strengthen these relations within their Vision 2030, especially in the field of industrialization, tourism and environmental initiatives.
Tourism development is one of the main goals of Saudi Vision 2030. From your perspective, why should Ivorians visit Saudi Arabia? What will Saudis discover on Côte d’Ivoire?
Saudi Arabia is an important destination for the Ivorians. Thousands of Ivorian Muslims annually visit the Kingdom to perform the Hajj and the Umrah. However, I sincerely hope that in the near future, Ivorians will visit other regions of the Kingdom to discover the rich culture shaped by the layers of ancient civilizations. The Ivorians will explore the most mesmerizing architectural masterpieces, carefully preserved for the next generations. Last but not least, they will discover Saudis’ exceptional allure and genuine hospitality while enjoying delicious traditional cuisine.
The beauty of Côte d’Ivoire shines through its gorgeous and serene beaches and people. Those interested in flora and fauna can explore Mount Nimba, a UNESCO heritage site covered in dense forest where some of the rarest chimpanzee breeds can be found. I would also recommend visiting Tai National Park, one of the last primary rainforests in West Africa. Saudis and travelers from all over the world can also hike through the forest of Mount Tonkpi and enjoy the scenery of La Cascade Falls, a beautiful waterfall surrounded by bamboo trees. Since cuisine is considered an important cultural factor, I can safely say that Côte d’Ivoire cuisine is rich in flavors and aromas, ranging from a wide variety of seafood to numerous local dishes. This can become another memorable experience while traveling to Côte d’Ivoire.
Most importantly, the people of two countries will open up to each other, leading to fruitful people-to-people relationships, the cornerstone of any diplomatic relationship.
On the subject of intercultural collaboration. What will be your remarks on the concept of the Diplomatic Quarter, a home for over dozens of diplomatic missions?
I would like to start by praising the concept of the Diplomatic Quarter as a convenient, comfortable, and safe place to live and work. In terms of the day-to-day activities of ambassadors, this is a great place to have many meetings in one day and have result-oriented discussions without spending time in traffic jams. DQ is also a great place to experience diverse cultures and traditions through socializing and interacting with people from all walks of life. Most importantly, it is a great place to discover Saudi Arabia and the Saudis from a new perspective.
