AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Bishops discuss national reconciliation with the Head of State ahead of the presidential election

Thursday, 20 February 2020 bishops   elections   reconciliation  

Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - "The discussions focused on the theme of national reconciliation in the Ivory Coast. The Bishops met with the President of the Republic to discuss the state of progress of the Country, in particular regarding the issues that concern the reconciliation of all Ivorians. This is essentially the topic of the meeting with the President of the Republic because the Bishops are very sensitive to reconciliation, being ministers themselves ordained for reconciliation", said His Exc. Mgr. Ignace Bessi Dogbo, Bishop of Katiola and President of the Episcopal Conference of the Ivory Coast, who led a delegation of Bishops who yesterday, February 19, was received in audience by the Head of State, Alassane Ouattara. The meeting lasted almost two hours, from 5.30 pm to 7.25 pm.
Cardinal Jean-Pierre Kutwa, Metropolitan Archbishop of Abidjan, and several Bishops including Mgr. Paul Dakouri, Bishop Emeritus of Grand Bassam, attended the meeting in the presence of some ministers; Mgr. Boniface Ziri, Bishop of Abengourou; Mgr. Joseph Aké of Gagnoa; Mgr. Jean Salomon Lézoutié, Bishop of Yopougon.
Eight months before the presidential election in October, fears remain that there will be violence.
At the end of the 114th Plenary Assembly held in the Archdiocese of Korhogo from 13 to 19 January 2020 (see Fides, 21/1/2020), the Bishops of the Ivory Coast sent a message to Ivorians inviting them to ensure that the elections are carried out in a peaceful, fair and transparent manner. (S.S.) (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 20/2/2020)


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