SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been honoured with the status of a traditional chief in Cote d’Ivoire.
He was given a symbolic key to the autonomous district of Abidjan and robed in Ivorian traditional clothes by local leaders during the ceremony on Thursday.
Chief ‘Dwasaho’, which means ‘The Great Warrior’ is the name Ramaphosa was given by Ivorian traditional leadership during his state visit on Thursday.
The visit aimed to strengthen bilateral relations between Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa with a view to creating a strategic partnership that will be enduring and mutually beneficial.
Ramaphosa embarked on a week-long four-nation visit to West Africa on Tuesday during which he has visited Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana.
On Friday, the South African Presidency described the visit to Cote d’Ivoire as historic, being the first state visit between the two countries since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
South Africa and the partner states will explore ways to leverage the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for mutual benefit and with greater support for businesses conducting intra-African trade and investment.
Ramaphosa was accompanied by a delegation of ministers and business leaders.
The visit, which concludes on Tuesday, serves to reinforce South Africa’s bilateral relations with the countries concerned and to strengthen partnerships directed at African development and co-operation in multilateral forums, the Presidency said.
The four-nation West Africa regional visit will conclude in Senegal, where Ramaphosa will be on an official visit from Sunday to Monday.
