On Thursday, August 28, 2025, Françoise Remarck, Minister of Culture and Francophonie of Côte d’Ivoire, signed a virtual declaration of intent with Québec’s Minister of Culture and Communications and Minister Responsible for Youth, Mathieu Lacombe, with the aim of strengthening cultural cooperation between Côte d’Ivoire and Québec.

Minister Remarck expressed her satisfaction, stating that Côte d’Ivoire is pleased to partner with Québec in an initiative that places Francophone culture at the heart of their shared priorities. She described the declaration as a concrete example of the cultural ties between both governments and reaffirmed Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to promoting and enhancing the diversity of artistic expressions alongside Québec.

For his part, Minister Lacombe highlighted that the declaration would serve to deepen the cultural connections already in place between the two parties, while also creating new opportunities for collaboration that would benefit creators and cultural workers in both regions. He emphasized that Côte d’Ivoire is a major cultural player and noted that this partnership would contribute to the promotion and protection of diverse cultural expressions in the digital age. He also stressed that making Francophone cultural content more visible remains a personal priority, and he welcomed Côte d’Ivoire as a key ally in that effort.

Côte d’Ivoire and Québec share a common vision, particularly in promoting and defending the diversity of cultural expressions in an increasingly digital global environment. This declaration is part of the momentum created by the 5th Conference of Francophonie Ministers of Culture, held on May 24, 2025, in Québec.

During that conference, participating governments collectively committed to six strategic areas. These included adapting cultural policies and legal frameworks to the digital era by updating relevant laws, supporting creative efforts, and improving transparency on content platforms. They also agreed on the importance of multilateral cooperation by defending a unified Francophone position in international forums and ensuring fair and equitable access to cultural content.

The signatories pledged to build digital skills among artists, creators, and policymakers, placing particular emphasis on the inclusion of youth and women. They recognized the importance of supporting the development of cultural and creative industries (CCIs) by fostering cultural entrepreneurship, ensuring fair compensation for rights holders, and utilizing artificial intelligence to enhance the value of cultural heritage.

Additionally, they committed to better governance of cultural data by standardizing metadata, creating Francophone digital databases, and anticipating challenges posed by generative AI. Finally, they agreed to raise public awareness and education by strengthening media literacy and encouraging greater demand—especially among young people—for Francophone cultural content.

Through the signing of this declaration, Côte d’Ivoire reaffirms its strategic role as a committed and influential player on issues related to cultural and digital sovereignty within the Francophone world.