On Thursday, July 20, 2023, a commemorative stamp marking 40 years of fruitful diplomatic relations between Côte d’Ivoire and China was unveiled in Abidjan.
During a reception ceremony, the stamp was presented by the new Chinese Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, Wu Jie, in the presence of the Ivorian Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Amadou Coulibaly, as well as the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Paulin Claude Danho, and the plenipotentiary of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kacou Houaj Léon Adom.
The symbolic image on the stamp shows an elephant, the emblem of Côte d’Ivoire, warmly embracing a panda, the emblem of China. According to Isaac Gnaba-Yao, the Director-General of La Poste Côte d’Ivoire, it includes a representation of a Sudanese mosque from northern Ivory Coast, as well as a traditional Chinese building, “demonstrating the shared cultural richness between the two countries.”
Speaking to the press, Minister Amadou Coulibaly expressed his belief that this seal is an act of remembrance to honor the excellence of Sino-Ivorian relations, rather than just a postal item. Ambassador Wu Jie expressed his satisfaction with the increasing cooperation and economic exchanges between the two countries over the past decades.
As a reminder, Côte d’Ivoire and China have maintained diplomatic relations since 1983.
