Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Culture and Francophonie, Françoise Remarck, has emphasized the need to better structure and economically valorize the country's cultural heritage to make cultural and creative industries a driver of territorial development. She made this statement during the closing ceremony of the 7th edition of Connect Côte d'Ivoire, held at the Abidjan Exhibition Park. Remarck highlighted that the country's cultural wealth is not only a part of its identity and pride but also a significant economic and social capital.
According to Minister Remarck, Côte d'Ivoire has over 300 inventoried material and immaterial heritage assets and more than 700 patrimonial festivals. She expressed her ambition to create conditions for the culture sector to generate more wealth, businesses, and jobs. This vision aligns with the country's National Development Plan (PND) 2026-2030 and the initiative "Côte d'Ivoire Orange 2035," aiming to make Côte d'Ivoire a reference point for cultural and creative industries.
The Minister's call to action was echoed by Blerta Cela, the resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Côte d'Ivoire. Cela praised the country's "formidable creative potential," which she believes exists in all territories, not just Abidjan. She noted that cultural expressions can be a significant source of income and jobs, citing sectors like textiles, crafts, music, gastronomy, cinema, and arts.
Cela further highlighted the economic impact of the cinema sector, which involves not only actors and directors but also a wide range of professionals, including technicians, costumiers, producers, and artisans. She emphasized the need to strengthen creative economy ecosystems so that the value produced benefits the territories. The UNDP representative also pointed out that the stories, landscapes, and talents are local, underscoring the potential for growth.
Nadine Bla, the general commissioner of Connect Côte d'Ivoire, explained that the 7th edition aimed to turn territories into spaces where talents can flourish and initiatives can become value-creating and job-generating activities. She outlined the challenge of transforming talents into professions, know-how into businesses, and creative passions into sustainable activities.
The event, under the high patronage of First Lady Dominique Ouattara, was themed "Révéler les territoires, connecter les opportunités" (Reveal territories, connect opportunities). The Prime Minister, Robert Mambé, who was the ceremony's patron, had participated in the opening on September 30, calling for accelerated transformation of territories. He emphasized that a connected territory becomes an opportunity, urging participants to use Connect Côte d'Ivoire as a platform for concrete partnerships and investment decisions.
The discussions at Connect Côte d'Ivoire underscored the potential of cultural and creative industries to drive economic growth and development in the country. With a clear vision and strategic initiatives, stakeholders aim to harness this potential to create jobs, stimulate entrepreneurship, and promote territorial development. The country's rich cultural heritage is seen as a key driver of this growth, with a focus on structuring and valorizing it to achieve sustainable development.
Key points
- Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Culture and Francophonie, Françoise Remarck, calls for better structuring and economic valuation of the country's cultural heritage.
- The country's cultural and creative industries are seen as a driver of territorial development and economic growth.
- The vision aligns with the country's National Development Plan (PND) 2026-2030 and the initiative "Côte d'Ivoire Orange 2035".
