The President, Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, has returned home after a three-day visit to Yamoussoukro, the political capital of Cote d'Ivoire, from September 30th to October 3rd 2004.

President Kabbah was in Cote d'Ivoire at the invitation of the Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, to share his experiences in the process of finding solutions that would lead to durable and sustained peace in La Cote d'Ivoire, and in particular the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) and the rehabilitation programs.

On arrival at Yamoussoukro, President Kabbah and entourage were given a magnificent welcome by President Gbagbo, the Mayor and people of Yamoussoukro city. At an impressive but solemn welcoming ceremony held at the City Hall the Mayor of the City, Mr. Kouakou Grangbe Jean, presented to President Kabbah the symbolic key of the city of Yamoussoukro. Presenting the key to President Kabbah in the presence of President Gbagbo and a galaxy of traditional Chiefs, Mayor Kouakou Grangbe Jean said the key was an expression of appreciation for the support President Kabbah is giving to his brother, President Laurent Gbagbo. He said this honour is a sign to enable President Kabbah open the way to peace in their country, adding that the peace in Sierra Leone is a token of hope for them to achieve their own peace, as Sierra Leone had gone through a similar experience in the recent past. President Kabbah was also honoured with a gift from the traditional chiefs as a sign of their appreciation of the President's effort in finding lasting a solution to the conflict in their country.

President Kabbah expressed delight to be in Yamoussoukro. He said he was overwhelmed by the kind hospitality demonstrated by the Ivorian people. The President stated that the main reason for accepting the invitation of President Gbagbo was because he and the people of Sierra Leone recognized the role La Cote d'Ivoire played in Sierra Leone's peace process. He recalled that the first time he ever met the former RUF rebel leader of Sierra Leone was in Yamoussoukro after Mr. Amara Essy, then Foreign Affairs Minister of Cote d'Ivoire had brought Foday Sankoh from the bush. Because of this, the President said, he will do all he can to bring peace to La Cote d'Ivoire.

After holding discussions with the administrative committee members of Parliament and members of the Constitutional Council, President Kabbah and President Gbagbo had private talks which were attended by members of the Sierra Leonean delegation that included Kanji Daramy, the Presidential Spokesman, Dr. Francis Kaikai, Chairman Development Assistance Co-ordinating Office, formerly head of Sierra Leone's Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration program and Mr. Kanja Sesay, Commissioner of the National Social Action Commission. Also present at the talks was an Ivorian delegation, including the Senior Minister in charge of African Integration, Mr. MEL EG Theodore, the Minister of Defence, Mr. Amani Rene, and Mr. Douati Alphonse, Minister in charge of Parliamentary Affairs. Issues of bilateral relations and the current situation in Africa, especially in the sub-region formed part of the discussions.

On the current political situation in the Ivory Coast, the two Heads of State acknowledged that despite the perception of delay in the implementation of the reforms contained in the Accra III Agreement, some significant process have been made. President Laurent Gbagbo informed President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of his intention to talk about this matter in his forthcoming national address and reiterated his commitment to ensure the complete implementation of the Accra III Agreement. In this respect, President Gbagbo said the remaining bills will be submitted to the House of Parliament as soon as the ordinary sessions resume on October 6, 2004. President Kabbah therefore urged the different signatories of the Accra III Agreement, in the light of the recent declaration the Security Council, to participate effectively in the implementation of the peace process
The two Heads of State also shared their views on the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) program in Sierra Leone and agreed on a strong collaboration between the experts from both sides.

They also highly appreciated the presence and the very important part played by the international community in advancing the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire as well as in the sub-region.

With regards to the security situation, the Heads of State agreed to intensify and harmonize their efforts in the fight against banditry and cross-border criminal activities, and the proliferation and flow of light weapons.

During the State banquet that was hosted in honour of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah at Yamoussoukro on Friday night, President Laurent Gbagbo decorated his host with Cote d'Ivoire's highest national honour, Le Grand Croix. President Kabbah is said to have been the only Head of State so honoured since President Gbagbo became President.

In a short but interesting joke, President Gbagbo referred to himself and President Kabbah as two Presidents belonging to a club of coup victims, because both Presidents, he said, had had coups d'etat in their respective countries before coming to power and that another coup d'etat followed after they had become Presidents. But maintained that in all the thirty years he had been in the opposition in La Cote d'Ivoire, he had never taken a knife, not even a pin to hurt anybody to become President. President Gbagbo said he believed in the ballot box as the only way to attain the office of President. He lauded President Kabbah as another leader with whom he shared that same democratic ethic.

President Gbagbo admitted that this is the time he and his people are beginning to understand that there is no other solution other than succeeding together. "We either succeed or fail together," he said. The visit of President Kabbah, he said, not only honours Ivory Coast but West Africa as a whole. President Gbagbo said the agenda for them now is to fight coup d'etats so that coup d'etats could not take up their time. He reaffirmed his commitment to ending the conflict, stating that it is of no good for a Head of State to go through civil wars. He assured all that there will be no hindrance of the peace process from him and stated that he is doing his utmost to ensure that elections are held. He, however, requested that the rebels be informed that if they successfully embark on the disarmament in time, then they will quickly go through the election process.

While expressing his appreciation for the generous hospitality showered on him since his arrival, President Kabbah said the Ivorians and Sierra Leoneans should regard each other as being home in each other's country, adding that it was only the colonialists that created boundaries between us. President Kabbah observed that contrary to information got from the international media that everything is on fire in Ivory Coast, he has been highly impressed with the civilized atmosphere in Yamoussoukro. He said he is impressed with the tranquility and the stability President Gbagbo and the Ivorian people are trying to maintain, and prayed that their efforts bear good fruits. President Kabbah, however, left one message for the President and people of Cote d'Ivoire, and that is "You cannot put out fire with fire. You can only put out fire with water," meaning that dialogue and accommodation should be the preferred path to peace,

President Kabbah was taken on a guided tour of the city and visited economic, educational and social institutions of Yamoussoukro including the construction sites for the effective transfer of the political capital to Yamoussoukro, including various campuses of the Houphouet Boigny National Polytechnic Institute and the Basilica, Notre Dame of Peace.

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