APA-Pretoria (South Africa) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent condolences to the Bédié family, government and people of Côte d’Ivoire on the passing of former Ivorian president Henri Konan Bédié this week.
Bédié died on August 1 in Abidjan aged 89.
“We send our deepest condolences to the family of former President Bédié and to the people of Côte d’Ivoire in general,” Ramaphosa said on Friday.
Bédié served as Ivorian president from 1993 until 1999 after succeeding the country’s founding father Felix Houphouet-Boigny who ruled over the West African nation from independence from France in 1960 until his death in 1993, aged 88.
His visit to South Africa in September 1998 was the first by an Ivorian leader to the country and paved the way for deeper relations between the two countries which still exist today, Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement.
The presidency said the passing of former Bédié had come at a time when the African continent was faced with great challenges, which required continental cooperation and unity to advance the goals of the African Union for peace, security and development.
“It is, therefore, imperative that Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa work together to bring peace and stability to the continent,” the presidency said.
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara has declared 10 days of national mourning from 2 to 11 August following Bédié’s death.
NM/jn/APA