Abidjan Peace Week February 1992: lecture course by Mr. Wade on peace August 22, 2026

The plane then the welcome, by the crowd. The airport then the reception, by the Ivorian Minister of Defense. This first sequence, then the Palais des Congrès at the Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan where, again, another crowd awaited him.

Crowd, in which we include “the entire Ivorian government”. It was thus a great man who set foot among his Ivorian brothers. Master Abdoulaye Wade, Minister of State at the time, then had the confidence of the young Boigny people to host a conference on the occasion of Peace Week. This, following the presentation of the Houphouët-Boigny prize for the search for peace, in Paris, under the presidency of… President Abdou Diouf.

Mr. Paul Akoto Yao, at the time of the event, president of the World Federation of Unesco Clubs and Associations (also a former first), addressed him with words commensurate with the esteem he held for him.

The Sun reported them thus: “I salute in you this African genius who honors the continent, the man of conscience and science, the man of duty and the defender of the Rights of all, the man of reason and sometimes of calculated and deliberate unreason”.

Also read: Former head of state Abdoulaye Wade pays tribute to President Diomaye Faye

This is the summary of the man who was to discuss, with his hosts, the meaning and scope of the Houphouët-Boigny Prize for the search for peace. The Abidjan meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara. We will also note the presence of the secretary general of the Pdci-Rda Laurent Dona Fologo, as well as the Grand Chancellor Koffi Gadeau.

We will also note the brilliance with which Maître Abdoulaye Wade treated his subject. The post-conference front page of “Fraternité-Matin” says a lot about the degree of satisfaction of those who wanted to have this gentleman with them. “Master Wade: Brilliantly Convincing,” headlined the newspaper.

Brilliant, convincing… honored. The Minister of State said he was honored by the choice made of him by Abidjan. The man did not fail to give pride of place to African youth in his speech. Above all, he did not fail to recall the need to preserve peace.

What President Houphouët proclaimed. “On the difficult path that leads us to happiness, in the face of difficulties of all kinds, President Houphouët-Boigny bequeathed us a shield: Peace, and a weapon: dialogue.”

Paul Akoto Yao was undoubtedly right when he said he saw in this master “the one who so magnificently represents the harmonious synthesis of so many ambitions, struggles, hopes, suffering to end up persuading that everything is in understanding, through tolerance and dialogue”.

Because dialogue is a shield against chaos, “addressing our populations, the message invites them to resist the temptation of confrontation”. Abdoulaye Wade, one day in February 1992, in front of an Ivorian audience, for the attention of the African continent. The whole continent!

By Moussa SECK