On the occasion of Keti Koti, the Dutch national day commemorating the abolition of slavery, His Excellency Ambassador Jeroen Kelderhuis traveled to Sassandra for a moment of shared reflection on our common past.

Keti Koti, which means “broken chains” in Sranan (a Creole language of Suriname), is an invitation to remember, acknowledge, and engage in dialogue about our history. It reminds us that memory is essential for building cooperation based on trust and mutual respect.

In this spirit, the embassy presented a groundbreaking historical study in Sassandra, commissioned in 2023, on the longstanding ties between the Netherlands and the Bas-Sassandra region. Conducted by Olvis DABLEY of the NGO A Wa Gbôklê, the research sheds light on the earliest records of trade involving ivory—so much so that the Dutch once called this region the “Tandkust” (the Tooth Coast), one of the historical origins of the name Côte d’Ivoire.

The ceremony was held in the presence of the Minister-Governor of Bas-Sassandra, the Prefect, the mayors of Sassandra and Fresco, traditional leaders, youth, civil society representatives, and local media. All came together to emphasize the importance of dialogue, recognition, and the transmission of historical memory.