"My priority is the economic and social development of Ivory Coast. It is a process that will require the participation of all Ivorians"

Alassane Ouattara’s words elevate development from a narrow economic agenda to a comprehensive national project that unites growth with social well-being. By pairing “economic and social development,” he signals that roads, power, and investment must advance alongside education, healthcare, social protection, and cohesion. He underscores that transformation is not an event but a “process,” acknowledging the long horizon of institution-building, structural reform, and cultural change. The insistence on the “participation of all Ivorians” rejects top-down paternalism in favor of a shared endeavor that cuts across region, ethnicity, and political affiliation, essential in a country whose history has included division and recovery.

Participation has practical dimensions. A modernized economy requires reliable infrastructure, diversification beyond commodities, support for small enterprises, and value-addition in agriculture. Social development demands equitable schools and clinics, attention to youth employment, and safety nets that reach rural and urban poor alike. Such goals are more achievable and durable when communities help design projects, when women and youth have voice and agency, when civil society can monitor services, and when the private sector partners transparently with government. Decentralization and local governance can align national priorities with community needs, while the diaspora’s skills and capital can augment domestic effort.

The call also carries obligations for the state. Asking everyone to participate presumes open civic space, rule of law, and accountability mechanisms that fight corruption and ensure fair distribution of opportunity. Without these, participation risks becoming symbolic rather than substantive. It implies sustained reconciliation and dialogue so that past grievances do not derail present collaboration. Finally, it points to resilience: development must withstand commodity shocks, climate stress, and regional insecurity, measured not only by GDP and investment flows but also by reduced inequality, improved public services, and trust in institutions. The message is both a promise and a compact: progress will be collective or it will be fragile.