Cote d’Ivoire seeks renewed bilateral ties with allies

Cote d’Ivoire seeks renewed bilateral ties with allies
Hauwa Noroh Ali, Abuja

Alhassan Ouattara, Cote d'Ivoire's President in a meeting with diplomats from African countries in Abuja, Nigeria.

The government of Cote d’Ivoire has held a meeting with diplomats from African countries in Abuja the Nigerian capital aimed at renewing bilateral ties with allies after the crisis that followed the Presidential election in that country.

At the meeting, President Alhassan Ouattara noted that the three major challenges of his administration are security, reconciliation and reconstruction.

He said that as part of his government’s resolve for an inclusive government, all soldiers who defected had the deadline of August 1 to return to the army or be regarded as not part of the Ivorian army.

He pointed out that 3,000 people were killed in the post- election crisis in his country.

The Ivorian leader said he was in Abuja to thank the ECOWAS Chairman, Jonathan, and the people of Nigeria for their support toward the restoration of peace in his country.

“The main purpose of this visit is to come and thank you for your personal involvement in steering ECOWAS to help Cote d’Ivoire manage the post- electoral crisis.

“That period was very difficult for Cote d’Ivoire, with a lot of sufferings. You gave direction to ECOWAS to stand firm despite some of the attempt to divert the results of democratic election in Cote d’Ivoire.

“Cote d’Ivoire is in peace today, it is in great part, thanks to your leadership. So, Mr. President, again many thanks to you, to Nigerians and to ECOWAS,’’ he said.

Strengthening relations

Ouattara said the meeting also discussed the need for Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire to strengthen their economic, financial, investment and diplomatic relations.

He said his country looked forward to the leadership of Jonathan as ECOWAS Chairman and as President of Nigeria, which accounted for over half of the 300 million population of West Africa.

The Ivorian president explained that he had earlier met with the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council and a cross-section of Nigerian businessmen to explore ways of promoting investment between both countries.

He also welcomed Jonathan’s invitation to Ivorian businessmen to come to Nigeria to invest and promised to work toward making sure that the private sector contributed to the development of the two countries and the sub-region.

Creating enduring peace 

Earlier, during his meeting with Nigerian businessmen and women, Ouattara said dialogue remains the immediate solution to the security situation caused by Boko Haram especially in the North-eastern part of Nigeria. He noted that with dialogue put in place, there will be relative peace.

The Ivorian President cited examples of wars in some countries which lasted for years, but that when dialogue was introduced, peace automatically reigned supreme in such countries.

He suggested that the Nigerian government should have a round-table discussion with the leaders of the sect and find a lasting solution to the problem. “Even wars between two countries were being tackled with dialogue and this method should be used to solve the problem at hand," he said.

While calling on businessmen and women in the country to invest in Ivory Coast for the country's economic growth, the President explained that the long years of political instability in his country had pulled it back economically.

In his words: "My second mission to the country is to invite all you businessmen and women to Cote d'Ivoire to invest in the economy of the country. We will give you full support and all the encouragement you will need for the growth of your businesses.

Cote d'Ivoire’s political tussle

The internal war in Cote d'Ivoire lasted for 10 years. About 3000 people were killed, while about 10 million were displaced. Between 2000 and 2010, our economy dropped by 6.7 per cent. Input stopped for several years. This has affected our economy negatively. With the 20 million indigenes of Cote d'Ivoire and another 20 million foreigners, making up to 40 million population of the country, your businesses will receive upward growth in no time.

Ouattara promised that his country would ensure that investors business would get to enviable height.

Integration of African countries

Insisting on integration of African countries as a panacea for prosperity in the region, the Ivorian president said with his country's resources in agricultural products like cocoa, rubber, oil and others, and Nigeria richly blessed in oil and other mineral resources, the two countries would benefit immensely from each other economically.

"It is better we invest in African countries than other countries abroad. African countries and Africans will benefit from this and it will affect our development. That is why I will tell President Jonathan to look into the highway from Lagos to Abidjan and Dakar for easy transportation of goods in these countries. Apart from that, it will help in knowing the place of Africa in the Security Council," he said.

In his remarks, Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, promised to re-invest in the cement industry of the country.

Dangote explained that prior to the political instability in Cote d’Ivoire, he had started a cement industry which he said, was put on hold because of the crisis in the country.

Ouattara won the Ivorian Presidential election in 2010 after two rounds voting but his victory was disputed by the incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to leave office till he was removed by force on April 11 after months of civil strife.

Ouattara was formally inaugurated as Cote d’Ivoire President on May 21 at a ceremony attended by Jonathan and other African leaders

Williams