​ (Communicated by the President's Spokesperson)
 
President Reuven Rivlin this morning (Monday, 16 May 2016) held a working meeting with Ivory Coast Foreign Minister Dr. Abdallah Albert Toikeusse Mabri, who is visiting Israel.
 
President Rivlin welcomed the Foreign Minister and his delegation and said, "Ivory Coast is a long standing friend of Israel, and I am delighted to welcome you here in our capital Jerusalem." He stressed the outstanding cooperation between the two nations which had grown and strengthened in recent years. The two spoke of the importance of cooperation especially in relation to the current security challenges in the Middle East, and throughout the world. The President added that Israel was keen to once again serve as an observer nation in the African Union, which would help deepen the dialogue between Israel and the countries of the African continent.
 
The Foreign Minister thanked the President for his warm welcome, and said, "Thank you for the honor you have given us, and for your hospitality. The relationship between our countries is indeed very old, and is becoming stronger. This is a relationship of trust and mutual appreciation between our peoples and leaders."