Guiglo, a city in western Côte d’Ivoire located in the Cavally region, about 600 kilometers from Abidjan, hosted the Forum on Women and Governance. The event highlighted a key reality: women’s leadership is a powerful driver of sustainable transformation.

At the forum held on Friday, April 10, 2026, Her Excellency Sandra Choufani, Ambassador of Canada and Liberia to Côte d’Ivoire, emphasized the crucial role of women in governance and development.

Alongside several high-level officials, including Minister of State Anne Désirée Ouloto, Ministers Nassénéba Touré and Belmonde Dogo, the Ambassador of Switzerland, and the UNDP representative, she expressed her appreciation for the quality of discussions and the strength of testimonies from women leaders.

“They do not merely participate: they transform. They advance peace, strengthen social cohesion, and drive development,” she said, while reaffirming Canada’s commitment to gender equality.

Canada positions itself as a global leader in gender equality and women’s leadership. Through its international programs, it supports structural initiatives such as Chrysalide, implemented in partnership with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and UNDP, to expand women’s access to decision-making spaces and accelerate their empowerment.

For the Ambassador, investing in women’s leadership means investing in more resilient, inclusive, and prosperous societies.

The message from Guiglo is clear: the future of governance is built with women.