Audience: First Lady Dominique Ouattara Meets with the Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to Germany and a German Delegation

On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, First Lady Dominique Ouattara received His Excellency Azize Diabaté, Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to Germany, in an audience at her offices in Cocody. The diplomat was accompanied by Dr. Hermann Bülbecker, Honorary Consul of Côte d’Ivoire in Aachen and CEO of the Lambertz Group; Mr. Franck Wiese, Head of Purchasing for the Lambertz Group; Mr. Léger Ouattara, Commercial Advisor; and Ms. Christiane Biskup, interpreter.

This meeting provided an opportunity to introduce the First Lady to Dr. Hermann Bülbecker, a German industrialist who is deeply involved in social and philanthropic initiatives. Through his involvement with various foundations and charitable organizations, he helps mobilize resources for projects aimed at supporting vulnerable populations.

For the Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to Germany, this meeting reflected a desire to bring together two individuals who share a common commitment to social causes.

“He is certainly an industrialist, but he is deeply committed to social causes,” explained His Excellency Mr. Azize Diabaté, referring to Dr. Hermann Bülbecker’s involvement in various foundations and philanthropic initiatives, as well as in organizing galas to raise funds for social programs.

The diplomat emphasized that this commitment mirrored that of the First Lady, who is particularly dedicated to the areas of child protection, women’s empowerment, and support for vulnerable families through the Children of Africa Foundation and its various initiatives. “Knowing full well that the First Lady is deeply committed to social causes, it was only natural for us to come today to introduce Dr. Bülbecker to her,” he said.

The discussions focused on the respective experiences of the various stakeholders and on opportunities to develop joint initiatives to support vulnerable children, women, and families.

Ambassador Azize Diabaté also expressed his delight at the quality of the discussions between the First Lady and her host. “So, they exchanged views and got to know each other. We sincerely hope for fruitful social cooperation,” he said, expressing his hope that this meeting would enable the German partner to take part in social initiatives carried out in Côte d’Ivoire.

For her part, Mrs. Dominique Ouattara welcomed this meeting, which opens up opportunities for collaboration among the various partners.

This meeting thus marks a first step toward bringing together Ivorian and German stakeholders who share a common commitment to supporting initiatives with a strong social impact.