Gender promotion in civil aviation: The First Lady launches the “Dominique Ouattara” scholarship program for women in civil aviation

On Tuesday, October 29, 2024, First Lady Dominique Ouattara presided over a ceremony in Cocody to launch the 2024 winners of the 1st “Dominique Ouattara” Scholarship program for training young girls in civil aviation.
The ceremony, which took place in the First Lady’s office, witnessed the presence of government officials and other personalities, including the program’s partners, the students and their parents.
This innovative program, set up for the first time this year, is funded by the Airport, Aeronautical and Meteorological Operation and Development Company (SODEXAM) and the Tongon Mining company. The “Dominique Ouattara” Scholarship aims to promote the implication of ivorian women in Côte d’Ivoire’s ever-growing civil aviation sector, by providing financial support and guidance to female students aspiring to careers in this strategic industry. The program is naturally reserved for young women aged between 18 and 30, with at least a baccalaureate level and a keen interest in civil aviation.
The First Lady, Mrs Dominique Ouattara, is the patron of the scholarship program that bears her illustrious name. Worth a total of 330 million CFA francs, the scholarship is awarded to eleven (11) young girls, at a cost of around 30 million CFA francs per student. This is a complete package. It includes training fees, accommodation and catering costs, and health insurance, for each of the beneficiaries during the five years of training at the Mohamed VI International Civil Aviation Academy of Morocco and the International University of Rabat. In addition, SODEXAM paid for the beneficiaries’ airfare from Abidjan. the First Lady also presented 500,000 F CFA to each of the program’s prizewinners bringing the total to 5,500,000 F CFA.

Promoting Diversity and Equality
After speaking about her commitment to promoting education for over two (2) decades, Mrs Dominique Ouattara expressed her enthusiasm for this program, which is in line with her vision for more inclusive, equal society that gives priority to excellence. “Today, the Scholarship program for young girls wishing to pursue a career in aviation has taken us a step further. It is now a matter of promoting access to quality higher education for brilliant young women, and offering them the same chances of success as men in this field. It is therefore with great pleasure that I support this initiative, which reflects my commitment to the education and development of young girls in Côte d’Ivoire”, said the First Lady. Mrs Dominique Ouattara was especially pleased that this scholarship offers great opporutnities to young girls wishing to start a career in civil aviation.
“This wonderful initiative opens up a new way for girls to be better represented in the civil aviation jobs in Côte d’Ivoire”, she emphasized, before expressing her gratitude to the various partners of this project.

Worthy Ambassadors of Excellence
This program offers young girls the opportunity to fulfill their dream. That’s why the First Lady was keen to take up this detail, addressing the young prize-winners and encouraging them. For the wife of the Head of State, they are on the threshold of a fine professional career. “The opportunity offered to you today is unique. The aviation sector is a particularly elitist field, requiring hard work, discipline and passion. You have been chosen from among hundreds of other candidates to benefit from top-level training, and you are now on your way to a brilliant career”, she said.
The wife of the Head of State then urged her goddaughters to continue on this path and succeed, in order to be worthy ambassadors for this scholarship of excellence. “I urge you to show determination to succeed, seriousness in your studies and courage in your host country, which you will join on November 1. Your constant efforts will be matched by success… You are the first in a long list, and I’m counting on you to work hard, to achieve great results and make us all very proud. Be bold and never be afraid to dream big. You are the ambassadors of this scholarship of excellence, and thanks to you, the image of Côte d’Ivoire will shine abroad”, she urged. Earlier, the First Lady reminded the audience of her commitment and numerous actions to promote excellence in education.

Strong growth in the civil aviation sector
Amadou Koné, Minister of Transport, thanked the First Lady for supporting the program and her commitment to the well-being of the underprivileged. “You are, for all of us, a model of commitment and altruism, and your actions go beyond the borders of our country. Through this scholarship, you are providing invaluable support to these young women, offering them not only a quality education but also the opportunity to contribute actively to a strategic sector still largely dominated by men,” he said. For the latter, the First Lady’s commitment is in line with the spirit of Resolution A39-30 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which encourages greater representation of women in this sector.
“This scholarship is much more than just financial support; it embodies a strong commitment to gender equality, the empowerment of women and the sustainable development of our country, thus responding to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 5, dedicated to gender equality” noted the Minister of Transport. Finally, according to him, the growth of the aviation sector in Côte d’Ivoire thanks to the measures taken by the President requires more and more quality personnel. For him, this scholarship program is a further step towards modernizing the country’s aviation sector.
General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AERIA also thanked the First Lady for her social commitment alongside her husband, President Alassane Ouattara. According to General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, the aviation sector has made impressive progress under the leadership of the Head of State. It therefore needs highly qualified executives. For this reason, he was pleased that young girls have decided to join the civil aviation sector. In his view, this program will surely reinforce Côte d’Ivoire’s image as a pioneer in the promotion of gender equity.

Jean-Louis Moulot, Managing Director of SODEXAM, presented the selection process for the winners and the various training courses on offer.
Mrs Edith Mala Diop, Qatar Airways’ first female Ivorian captain, shared her experience with her little sisters. She urged them to be strong, determined and to believe in their dream.
Miss Kouamé Amenan Grâce, spokeswoman for the beneficiaries, thanked the First Lady for her commitment to promoting young girls.
The ceremony ended with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the First Lady, the CEO of SODEXAM and the CEO of Barrick Gold, and the symbolic presentation of cheques for 30 million F CFA.