On June, 2nd, the celebrations of the Italian Republic Day were held in Abidjan, in the presence of the Ivorian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Nialé Kaba, the Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Agriculture, the Italian community, local and traditional authorities, the diplomatic corps, and all friends of Italy. The event represented a moment of unity and a reaffirmation of the founding values of the Republic: democracy, freedom, and peace.
In her address, Ambassador Roberta Di Lecce recalled that the birth of the Republic on 2 June 1946 was the result of a “free and democratic choice”, marking a moral and civic rebirth of the country, founded on the principles of human dignity, social justice, and international responsibility. It was, she stressed, a “courageous choice for peace, democracy, and freedom”.
The Ambassador also highlighted the fundamental role of women in building the Republican Italy, recalling their contribution to the Resistance and their participation – for the first time – in the vote for the Referendum and the Constituent Assembly. The images from the ANSA exhibition “Women of the Republic – Eighty Years of Achievements in ANSA’s Reports 1946–2026” accompanied this part of her remarks, offering a visual testimony of their commitment.
Quoting the words of the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, Ambassador Di Lecce emphasized the choice made by the founding fathers in favour of peace, enshrined in Article 11 of the Constitution, which rejects war as a means of resolving international disputes and promotes cooperation among States on an equal footing. She also recalled Italy’s commitment to Europeanism, Atlanticism, and multilateralism, pillars of Italian foreign policy.
The Ambassador underlined the importance of international cooperation, at the heart of relations between Italy and the African continent, as reaffirmed by the Mattei Plan. In this context, she highlighted the role of Côte d’Ivoire, described as a “nation of stability, dynamism, and ambition”, with which bilateral relations have deepened significantly, particularly following the historic visit of President Mattarella in April 2024, the first official visit of an Italian Head of State to the country.
At the bilateral level, the Ambassador welcomed the ratification of the Agreement on Security and Migration, as well as the launch of several Mattei Plan projects in the fields of education and health. On the economic front, trade between Italy and Côte d’Ivoire continues to show a positive trend, confirming the complementarity of the two economies and the opportunities offered by the Ivorian market to Italian companies. She also recalled the opening of the coordination structure for the Italian development cooperation system within the Embassy, the AICS office in Abidjan, and the local office of CDP, concrete signs of Italy’s long-term commitment to supporting Côte d’Ivoire’s development priorities.
Ambassador Di Lecce concluded by expressing her heartfelt gratitude to the Italian nationals present, who through their work, professionalism, and ability to build human relationships represent every day the best face of Italy: a living and precious bridge between Italy and Côte d’Ivoire, made of competence, dedication, creativity, and humanity.
