Irina Bokova

Ambassador Irina Bokova, the Bulgarian candidate for the post of Director-General of UNESCO, visited Côte d’Ivoire in the period between July 29 – August 1.

Within the framework of her visit, Ambassador Bokova held meetings with Mr Laurent Gbagbo, President of Côte d’Ivoire, with Mr Youssouf Bakayoko, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and with Mr Gilber Bleu-Lainé, Minister of Education. Also present at the meeting with President Gbagbo were Mr Augustin Kouadio Comoé, Minister of Culture, and Mr Lou Mathieu Bamba, Secretary General of the Côte d’Ivoire National Commission for UNESCO.

In the course of her meetings, Ambassador Bokova exchanged interesting views on issues concerning international relations, education, science, and culture. She showed interest in Côte d’Ivoire’s priorities in the field of education, discussing the role of UNESCO in this sphere. The reform of UNESCO was also discussed, and Ambassador Bokova laid out her views on the need for it to be continued.

Ambassador Bokova met with Mrs Pierrette Faust, Regional Director of the city of Yamoussoukro, some 250 kilometers from the capital of Abidjan.

Ambassador Bokova reaffirmed before the hosts her commitment to engage in the problems of the African states and to work actively on the UNESCO strategy targeted at the specific problems of these countries.