At talks with Rt Hon Theodore Datouo: Ivorian National Assembly Speaker pledges stronger parliamentary cooperation.

The visit was on the heels of the 51st Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie, APF, which held in Yaounde.

Hon Achi was accompanied by a delegation of lawmakers from the Ivorian National Assembly and Senate. Both officials who recently assumed their respective positions, used the meeting to exchange best wishes for successful mandates.

Hon Achi also conveyed greetings from Ivorian President, Alassane Ouattara, to his counterpart, President Paul Biya, and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening cooperation between the two legislatures.

Discussions focused on ways of intensifying exchange visits, sharing institutional experiences and deepening collaboration between both parliaments. The Ivorian Speaker extended an official invitation to Hon. Datouo to visit Côte d’Ivoire.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Hon Achi said the visit provided an opportunity for both sides to discuss issues on the agenda of the APF session and explore common positions on matters affecting the Francophone world and Africa.

“It was important for me to meet my brother and friend, the President of the National Assembly, to hear his views and see how we can converge around the common interests we defend for the benefit of our respective populations. The discussions were extremely rich and covered bilateral relations between our two parliaments,” Hon Achi said.

He further expressed admiration for the Paul Biya Glass House and mentioned plans for the construction of a new National Assembly complex in Côte d’Ivoire. The Ivorian Speaker continued to say parliamentary diplomacy should increasingly support development objectives.

“The development of our economies is a priority if we are to preserve the environment of peace and unity that our countries enjoy. We must pay particular attention to our youth, employment creation, private sector growth, women’s empowerment and issues of gender promotion,” he stated.

Hon Achi concluded by praising the leadership of Hon Hilarion Etong, former President of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie, for representing Africa and helping secure influential positions for the continent within the organisation.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3854 of Tuesday July 21, 2026