Malta, Côte d’Ivoire Deepen Ties as Ivorian Honorary Consul Meets Culture,Lands and Local Govt. Ministry. By Raymond Enoch
Malta and the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire have taken fresh steps toward strengthening bilateral cooperation following a courtesy visit by H.E. Mrqs. Anthony C. Coleiro, Honorary Consul of Côte d’Ivoire to Malta, to the Ministry for Culture, Lands and Local Government.
Mrqs. Coleiro was received by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Kevin Mahoney, alongside Mr. Russel Muscat, Manager of International Relations; Mr. Emil Vassallo, Director General of the Local Government Division; Mr. Clifford Galea Vella Maslennikov, Assistant Director at the Culture Directorate; and other senior officials across the Ministry’s divisions.
The Honorary Consul was accompanied by Professor Oluwafemi Esan, Consulate Attaché for Academic, Scientific and Professional Affairs, and Mr. Ousmane Dicko, Attaché for the Relationships, Interests and Well-being of Ivorian Diasporas in Malta and Gozo.
During the engagement, Mrqs. Coleiro presented a detailed collaboration dossier proposing practical frameworks for cooperation between Malta and Côte d’Ivoire.
Discussions centred on cultural diplomacy, heritage preservation and local governance, with an emphasis on building sustainable institutional and people-to-people partnerships.
Among the proposals tabled were initiatives for cultural exchange, including joint art exhibitions, artist residencies and the establishment of an annual Malta–Côte d’Ivoire Cultural Week to be hosted alternately in Valletta and Abidjan. The talks also explored collaboration in heritage preservation and education through professional training programmes, conservation expertise sharing and joint digital archiving projects aimed at promoting shared Mediterranean–African heritage.
In the area of local governance, discussions highlighted the potential for twinning Maltese local councils with Ivorian municipalities, alongside structured knowledge-sharing platforms and community engagement initiatives to enhance grassroots cooperation.
Speaking after the meeting, Mrqs. Coleiro described the engagement as both encouraging and forward-looking.
“It was a genuine pleasure to meet with the Ministry and discuss ways in which Malta and Côte d’Ivoire can collaborate more closely,” he said. “I was particularly inspired by the shared commitment to culture, heritage and community development. These discussions mark an important first step in building partnerships that will not only strengthen institutional ties but also bring our peoples closer together through meaningful cultural and educational exchanges.”
Officials on both sides acknowledged the strong potential for deepening bilateral relations through structured cooperation, noting that the discussions laid the groundwork for future collaborative projects.
The meeting also opened conversations on the possibility of a Memorandum of Understanding to formally anchor cooperation between Malta and Côte d’Ivoire in the coming years.
