The Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara met on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at the Presidential Palace of the Republic, with the President of the Republic of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who is on a friendship and working visit to Ivory Coast.
The Head of State recalled the strong, historic, and excellent relations that exist between Senegal and Ivory Coast, as well as between their peoples. He took this opportunity to extend his heartfelt and warm congratulations to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye for his brilliant election as head of Senegal on March 24.
Alassane Ouattara noted that during their meeting, they reviewed the socio-political situation in each of their countries, the efforts being made, and celebrated the dynamism and strengthening of bilateral cooperation. He added that he and his counterpart noted a perfect convergence of views on several subjects, notably on issues of democracy, regional cooperation, and the international situation.
Economically, he emphasized the directives given by his counterpart and himself to their ministers and collaborators to further increase trade between Senegal and Ivory Coast, to raise it to a level worthy of the strong potential for cooperation between the two states.
The Ivorian Head of State expressed his and his Senegalese counterpart's optimism about the bright future of economic cooperation between the two nations, notably with the discovery of significant oil and gas deposits on both sides. He reaffirmed his and President Faye's commitment to improving the living conditions of their citizens, focusing particularly on social issues and the development of the youth.
For his part, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye highlighted that cooperation between the two countries is excellent and founded on solid pillars. However, he remarked that given the ties that bind the two countries and their peoples, the level of this cooperation is still below what it should be.
He stated that Senegal and Ivory Coast need to do even more, particularly in priority sectors such as agriculture, livestock, defense and security, education, and energy. In all these sectors, he advocated for the two governments to pool efforts and strategies to derive the best benefit.
The Senegalese Head of State is convinced that synergizing the capacities of Ivory Coast and Senegal will effectively address many challenges, especially those linked to the current global crisis context. That's why he revealed that he proposed to President Ouattara the reactivation of the grand Ivorian-Senegalese Joint Commission of Cooperation, which has not met since 2014.
Moreover, he promised to work to strengthen the relations between the two countries to better address certain priorities, including the reform of political governance, sustainable development, climate change, peace, and security at the international level.
At the sub-regional level, he acknowledged that the challenges are complex and that it is important to fully understand the seriousness of the threats, which are real, including the decay of states and the risks of disintegration of the union. In this regard, he said he could count on the President of Ivory Coast to strengthen the actions to prevent crises.
President Faye further affirmed that Senegal and Ivory Coast have an important role to play in consolidating the achievements in terms of integration of the community space, despite the turbulences affecting the zone. He said he received advice from President Ouattara on consolidating unity in the major regional and sub-regional groupings they share, particularly the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the African Union.
Specifically regarding ECOWAS, he called for solidarity, the implementation of necessary reforms, and the resolution of misunderstandings within this organization, which he considers a formidable tool for sub-regional integration and a precious legacy of the founding fathers that must be preserved.
