Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan and San Pedro in the Ivory Coast concluded a sister city agreement Nov. 5, paving way for the two sides to expand cooperation in culture and youth education, among other key areas.
According to Kaohsiung City Government, the agreement was signed by Mayor Chen Chi-mai and his counterpart Keita Nakaridja Epse Cisse, making it the 41st such pact for the Taiwan metropolis. It also marked a key development in bilateral ties following the reopening of a representative office in the West African country by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2022, the KCG said, adding that San Pedro is the Ivory Coasts’ second-largest economic zone and the world’s leading port in cocoa bean exports.
During the signing ceremony, Chen said Kaohsiung is happy to share its experience in attracting high-tech investment, promoting digital and net-zero carbon transitions and repositioning itself as a semiconductor and innovation hub.
The mayor said he is particularly positive about future cooperation and exchanges in areas spanning agricultural technology, port management and smart transportation given the two sides’ shared marine heritage and respect for freedom, adding that he looks forward to helping expand ties between Taiwan and Africa.
In response, Cisse thanked the local government for its hospitality and brought participants up to speed on her city’s cultural, economic and social developments. She said she was impressed with Kaohsiung’s success in promoting the semiconductor sector and smart transportation systems and expressed hope of growing bilateral relations going forward.
Echoing Chen’s remarks, Anthony Chung-yi Ho, director-general of MOFA’s Department of West Asian and African Affairs, praised the sisterhood pact as a milestone in Taiwan-Ivory Coast ties that will help turn a new page in cultivating relationships with partners in West Africa. (SFC-E)
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