As part of his assumption of office at the helm of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), Professor Palokinam T. Pitche, Director General of WAHO, held a series of high-level meetings with the Ivorian authorities in Abidjan on 14 and 15 September 2026.
The meetings provided an opportunity to discuss WAHO’s establishment in its new host country and the strengthening of health cooperation between the Organisation and the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
On 14 September, the Director General was received by H.E. Mr Adama Dosso, Minister Delegate to the Ministry of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in charge of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad. Discussions focused in particular on key matters relating to WAHO’s establishment and operations in Côte d’Ivoire, in the context of the relocation of its headquarters.
The discussions provided an opportunity to review progress on the Headquarters Agreement, the development of WAHO’s new headquarters at the Village of Information Technology and Biotechnology (VITIB) in Grand-Bassam, as well as arrangements relating to the residence of the Director General. The Minister Delegate reaffirmed Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment and readiness to support WAHO throughout its establishment process and to help create an enabling environment for the Organisation to fulfil its mandate effectively.
Both parties agreed to pursue the necessary steps towards the finalisation and signing of the Headquarters Agreement and to continue monitoring work on WAHO’s new headquarters in Grand-Bassam. Professor Palokinam T. Pitche, for his part, reaffirmed his commitment to undertake the necessary follow-up with the relevant ECOWAS authorities to help expedite the process.
On 15 September 2026, the WAHO Director General continued his institutional consultations with a meeting with H.E. Mr Pierre Dimba, Minister of Health, Public Hygiene and Universal Health Coverage. The meeting enabled the two officials to discuss ways of strengthening health cooperation between Côte d’Ivoire and WAHO, as well as the major challenges facing health systems across the region.
Discussions focused in particular on improving access to quality healthcare and health services; preventing, preparing for and responding to epidemics and other health emergencies; and improving the availability and accessibility of quality medicines and vaccines. Both parties underscored the importance of a coordinated regional approach to addressing shared health challenges and strengthening the resilience of health systems.
On this occasion, Minister Pierre Dimba reaffirmed the Ivorian Government’s commitment to further strengthening its partnership with WAHO and expressed the readiness of his Ministry to work closely with the Organisation in implementing regional initiatives aimed at improving the health of populations in Côte d’Ivoire and across the wider ECOWAS region.
Professor Palokinam T. Pitche welcomed Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to regional health cooperation and expressed his determination to further consolidate working relations between WAHO and the Ministry of Health, Public Hygiene and Universal Health Coverage, particularly around shared health priorities. He also reaffirmed WAHO’s readiness to continue supporting Member States and promoting regional coordination in accordance with the Organisation’s mandate.
These two meetings mark an important step in strengthening relations between WAHO and its new host country. They confirmed the readiness of the Ivorian authorities to support the Organisation in fulfilling its regional mandate from its new headquarters in Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire, while further consolidating cooperation around health priorities shared by Côte d’Ivoire and the wider West African community.
