AMBASSADOR'S SPEECHES

REMARKS OF AMBASSADOR AUBREY HOOKS

Ambassador Aubrey Hooks speaks during the flag raising ceremony at the new Embassy of the United States in Abidjan (Photo: Brett Bruen/US Embassy)

AT THE DEDICATION OF THE NEW EMBASSY COMPOUND

ABIDJAN, JULY 12, 2005

His Excellency President Laurent Gbagbo,
Yours Excellencies, Ministers of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire,
Honorable Members of Parliaments,
Dear Ambassadors, 
Distinguished guests and friends:

I would like to thank you all for being here for the dedication of this magnificent building.  All great things start as a dream. The realization of dreams requires the combined effort of many hearts and hands. I would like to take a moment to acknowledge those groups and individuals who fueled this vision and made it possible. 

A special acknowledgement to Ambassador Lannon Walker and Ambassador Arlene Render who from the beginning garnered support for this beautiful building, smoothed many obstacles along the way and addressed endless details that a project of this scale demands. You planted the seed and we are now harvesting the fruit. We all owe you a debt of gratitude.  

I would like to thank the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and the State Department’s Overseas Building Operations who were the primary inspiration for the site.  Mr. President, on behalf of all, I thank you for taking your time to be here at the dedication of this splendid building. 

We would like to extend our gratitude to all the local authorities here in Abidjan for your invaluable cooperation and active participation in this project. We thank the Ministry of Construction for its assistance to obtain title and land ownership certificate. We also thank the Ministry of Energy for helping to upgrade the electricity substation of the area. Finally, we are very grateful to the electricity and water companies for their assistance in solving all power and water problems on the new building. This is an outstanding example of what happens when two parties work together to achieve worthy goals. 

I want also to praise the hard work of the local workers who have dedicated their efforts day and night to help the project come to fruition. To our members of the Embassy staff, who showed extraordinarily commitment and resolve under the most demanding of conditions and to the communities in which we live and work, we say thank you.

This new building is a beautiful place to work and will help the United States and Côte d’Ivoire work together to promote the growth of genuine democratic institutions and expanding economic opportunities for the people of our respective countries. We want again praise the hard work and fruitful cooperation of all involved and we are honored to be the first occupants. 

Thank you.