The villages of Kouassi-Ndawa and Addah, located in Côte d'Ivoire's Bondoukou and Jacqueville departments respectively, have formalized their fraternity through a twinning agreement. This development took place on September 26, 2026, during the yam festival in Kouassi-Ndawa. The event was marked by traditional songs, dances, and reunions, with the presence of traditional chiefs, officials, women, youth, and delegations from the Gbêkê region.
The ceremony was held under the sponsorship of the Minister of Water and Forests, Jacques Assahoré, who was represented by his technical advisor, Adolphe Saraka. Other attendees included the secretary general of the Bondoukou prefecture, Loan Constant, representing the Gontougo regional prefect, as well as the director general of the National Administration School (ENA), Yessoh Sépy Narcisse. Several customary authorities were also in attendance.
The twinning agreement between Kouassi-Ndawa and Addah symbolizes the alliance between the Lagunary and Bron peoples, based on solidarity, sharing, and exchange. According to the minister's message, read by Saraka, this initiative allows two communities to meet and establishes a durable bridge of solidarity, exchange, and experience sharing between them.
The event was marked by a strong customary dimension, with the presence of several traditional chiefs from the Gbêkê region. Delegations testified to the solidity of historical ties between the communities and their desire to transmit them to younger generations.
Yessoh Sépy Narcisse called on the populations to preserve natural resources, including land, waterways, and forests, emphasizing that protecting these resources is a collective responsibility. He invited the communities to remember three key words: "our roots, our fraternity, our future," and expressed the wish that the twinning between Kouassi Ndawa and Addah would remain a living symbol of rapprochement and solidarity.
Kossonou Kouassi, president of the Kouassi Ndawa Development Mutual, expressed satisfaction at seeing the village's sons and daughters, as well as their hosts, gathered for this celebration. He thanked personalities and delegations for their mobilization, highlighting the support of Minister Jacques Assahoré for the construction of the Kouassi Ndawa presbytery, to the tune of five million CFA francs.
The yam festival was marked by cultural dances and expressions from the different communities, taking on a particular dimension of reunions and fraternity. The event demonstrated the capacity of Ivorian populations to turn their cultural differences into a factor of rapprochement.
Key points
- The twinning agreement between Kouassi-Ndawa and Addah aims to strengthen solidarity and cultural exchange between the two villages.
- The event was marked by a strong customary dimension, with the presence of several traditional chiefs from the Gbêkê region.
- The protection of natural resources was emphasized as a collective responsibility during the ceremony.
