The Minister of State for African Integration and Ivorians Abroad, H.E. Mr. Adama Dosso, presided over the official ceremony on Thursday 8th October 2026, on behalf of the Ivorian Government, to hand over the keys to the provisional headquarters of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), located within the Information Technology and Biotechnology Village (VITIB) in Grand-Bassam, Cote d’Ivoire.
The ceremony took place in the presence of Mr Moussa Sanogo, Minister for Urban Planning, Housing and the Living Environment, Mr Jean-Louis Moulot, Deputy Minister for Technical Education and Mayor of Grand-Bassam, Professor Palokinam PITCHÉ, Director-General of the WAHO, Ambassador Khare Diouf, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as several institutional and administrative officials.
The official handover of the keys marks a decisive step in the implementation of the decision taken on the 14th December 2025 in Abuja by the ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State and Government to transfer the headquarters of the WAHO to Côte d’Ivoire.
Under the guidance of the President of the Republic, H.E. Mr Alassane Ouattara, the Ivorian Government has undertaken a major process of consultation and institutional mobilisation to create the necessary conditions for hosting this regional organisation.
In this context, Minister Adama Dosso played a central role in the negotiations and consultations with ECOWAS officials, the Ivorian authorities and the relevant technical bodies.
This process, characterised in particular by assessment missions, site visits and several technical meetings, led to the selection of Grand-Bassam as the host city for the institution.
The temporary headquarters provided comprises 76 offices and functional spaces, with a capacity to accommodate approximately 120 staff members, pending the completion of the permanent headquarters.
In his address, Adama Dosso praised the contribution of the Ministry of Urban Planning and Housing, SONAPIE, VITIB and all those involved in making the premises available within such a short time frame.
For the Deputy Minister, the establishment of the WAHO in Côte d’Ivoire represents both a mark of confidence from the regional community and a significant responsibility for the country.
As an ECOWAS specialised agency in the field of health, the WAHO works in particular to harmonise health policies, strengthen health systems and foster cooperation between Member States.
Its establishment in Grand-Bassam will help to strengthen the presence of regional institutions in Côte d’Ivoire, whilst opening up new opportunities for cooperation in the fields of public health, research and innovation.
The Director-General of WAHO, Professor Palokinam PITCHÉ, expressed his gratitude to the Ivorian Government for the arrangements made to facilitate this move.
The ceremony concluded with the official handover of the keys, thus marking a new stage in Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to more concrete and effective West African integration.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).