Ivory Coast has taken significant steps to bolster its international engagement on gender, peace, and sustainable development through a high-profile diplomatic mission to Turkey.
From August 10 to 18, 2025, Ms. Euphrasie Kouassi Yao, Special Advisor to the Ivorian Prime Minister in charge of Gender, carried out an official visit to Istanbul and Ankara, aiming to deepen bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Ms. Yao, who previously served as Ivory Coast’s Minister of Women’s Affairs and is the national coordinator of the Compendium of Women’s Skills of Côte d’Ivoire (COCOFCI), has championed global gender diplomacy with prior visits to Iceland, Italy, India, the United States, and France.
She also holds the UNESCO Chair “Water, Women and Decision-Making Power” (CUEFPOD), a platform she leverages to advance education and leadership initiatives for women.
The mission began in Istanbul on August 12 with an official visit to Galatasaray University, a prestigious institution founded in 1481 with a French-speaking educational tradition. Discussions focused on developing a Master’s program in gender, economics, and sustainable water management, as well as training in gender engineering at CUEFPOD.
The university and the Ivorian delegation also agreed on launching the international campaign “CREA-PAIX 2025-2026” and connecting it with the global challenge “My Face for Peace.”
Ms. Yao expressed her gratitude to the university leadership for their commitment and the prospects for fruitful collaboration.
In Ankara, on August 13, Ms. Yao held strategic talks with Ms. Süreyya Erkan, Director General of Women’s Affairs at the Ministry of Family and Social Services, to exchange experiences in gender equality policies and combatting gender-based violence. Ivory coast’s achievements, recognised by the OECD as African Champion in its SIGI 2023 report, served as a reference during discussions.
She also met Ms. Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, Director General of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), where both sides committed to signing a strategic partnership between CUEFPOD and SESRIC, focused on training, research, and promoting equal opportunities across Islamic countries and beyond.
“Strong partnerships, rooted in trust and mutual respect, are the foundation of a fairer, more egalitarian, and more peaceful world,” Ms. Yao said. Ambassadors Khadidjatou Touré of Ivory Coast and Deniz Erdoğan of Turkey facilitated the mission, underscoring the importance of institutional support in advancing gender diplomacy.
This mission highlights Ivory Coast’s proactive approach to fostering international gender collaboration while enhancing its global profile as a champion of women’s leadership and equitable development.
About The Author
