The commercial capital of Côte d’Ivoire welcomed a distinguished regional guest today as the President of the Republic of Liberia, Joseph Nyuma Boakai, arrived in Abidjan ahead of the inauguration of Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara.
President Boakai’s participation in the swearing-in ceremony for President Ouattara’s fourth term underscores the deepening solidarity and strategic bilateral relations between the two West African neighbors, who share an extensive border and a history marked by both cooperation and periods of tension.
The Liberian leader was received at Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport by Liberia’s Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, H.E. Willye-Mai Tolbert King, along with Embassy staff and members of the Liberian community.
Focus on Regional Ties and Stability
President Boakai’s presence at the inauguration carries weight in the context of mounting security challenges and renewed calls for regional cooperation within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire have long collaborated on cross-border security, economic integration, and the free movement of people and goods. Previous engagements between the two leaders have centered on the Liberia–Côte d’Ivoire Framework Agreement, electricity supply, agriculture, and regional security.
The visit offers a timely opportunity for both Heads of State to reaffirm commitments to shared priorities, including efforts to combat terrorist activities that continue to threaten stability across the sub-region.
The Liberian diaspora in Côte d’Ivoire—once composed largely of refugees from Liberia’s civil wars and now including many economic migrants—turned out at the airport to welcome President Boakai.
In a public statement, community members expressed “heartfelt appreciation” for the progress underway in Liberia since Boakai assumed office, citing his flagship ARREST Agenda (Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism) as a driver of national development.
The gathering also served as a platform for calls to unity among Liberians in Côte d’Ivoire, reinforcing the importance of a cohesive diaspora in contributing to Liberia’s stability and growth.
Participation in Ouattara’s Inauguration
President Boakai will join fellow heads of state and high-level delegations at the inauguration ceremony on December 8, 2025. The event will mark the beginning of President Ouattara’s new mandate and is expected to draw significant international representation, including a U.S. delegation led by Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg.
