On the sidelines of the official visit to Abidjan by the Angolan President, João Lourenço, discussions with his host President, Alassane Ouatara on strengthening cooperation led to the signing of 14 agreements.
President Alassane Ouattara held talks with his Angolan counterpart João Lourenço at the Presidency of the Republic on Thursday, June 27, 2024,followed by the signing of bilateral agreements in several areas.
The two Heads of State welcomed the excellent relations of friendship and cooperation between their two countries, and pledged to work to intensify and strengthen them, particularly in the hydrocarbons, mining and agriculture sectors.
“I am delighted with the signing of the 14 agreements and I would like to reaffirm the Ivorian government’s determination to work towards strengthening and diversifying bilateral relations through the agreements we have just signed.
“We can go much faster, and that is why there was the preparatory mission to Luanda, which enabled the two governments to select a number of areas where we can work fairly quickly, intensifying our efforts and our knowledge,” President Ouattara said.
The Ivorian President praised the Angolan President’s leadership in the quest for “peace and stability in the Central and Southern African region” and his “personal involvement in the search for solutions to the problems” of Central Africa, in his capacity as Chairman of SADC.
He also noted the need to strengthen cooperation between the two countries “in terms of security and defence, with a view to guaranteeing peace and security in West and Central Africa and effectively combating terrorism and all forms of trafficking.”
In his speech, the Angolan President said that “the signing of these 14 agreements clearly demonstrates the mutual interest of the two nations” in strengthening their relations.
He noted the willingness of both countries to learn from each other’s experience and to develop their respective economies in the interests of their peoples.
Total trade between the two countries will amount to 28.04 billion CFA francs in 2022, compared with 16.112 billion CFA francs in 2021, representing an increase of 11.928 billion CFA francs, while Côte d’Ivoire will have a trade deficit of -2.974 billion CFA francs in 2022.
Côte d’Ivoire exports bitumen, green coffee, cotton and rubber to Angola, while Côte d’Ivoire’s main imports are gas cylinders, liquefied butane and various consumer products.
In the evening, President Alassane Ouattara and First Lady Dominique Ouattara hosted an official dinner in honour of the Angolan Head of
State and his wife, who were subsequently awarded the National Order of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
The headquarters of the Confederation Generale des Entreprises de Côte d’Ivoire (CGECI, Ivorian Employers’ Association) is hosting an Ivorian-Angolan business forum on Friday, June 28, 2024.
The aim of the event is to bring together the private sectors of the two countries in order to boost investments.
The Angolan President, João Manuel Lourenço, is making an official visit to Côte d’Ivoire from 26 to 28 June 2024.
AP/fss/GIK/APA