His Excellency Tiemoko Meyliet Koné, Vice President of Côte d’Ivoire, arrived in South Africa on Tuesday as an early foreign dignitary for the inauguration of President-elect Cyril Ramaphosa.
Pretoria is taking on the air of a diplomatic citadel in preparation for the highly anticipated inauguration that will reaffirm South Africa’s democracy and global partnerships.
Koné’s aircraft touched down at Waterkloof Air Force Base in the capital Pretoria, where he was received by South African officials. The Ivorian vice president leads an advance delegation ahead of his nation’s president attending the high-profile ceremony on June 19th.
On Wednesday morning, Ramaphosa will be sworn in at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the same site where Nelson Mandela took his historic oath in 1994 after the nation’s first democratic elections.
As he prepares to take the oath of office for a second term, South Africa is rolling out the red carpet for scores of international guests. Dignitaries from across Africa and the world are descending on Pretoria to witness this milestone marking 30 years of democracy since the end of apartheid.
The theme “30 Years of Democracy, Partnership and Growth” encapsulates South Africa’s transition to democratic rule in 1994 and its strengthening global relations in the decades since. The Côte d’Ivoire delegation’s early arrival underscores the nations’ bilateral ties.
In the coming hours, a stream of presidential convoys from air force bases will shuttle visiting heads of state to rallying venues and accommodate their scheduled movements amid stringent security protocols ahead of the inauguration.
South African officials have planned a day of ceremonial pomp and cultural celebration on the Union Buildings grounds to mark the inauguration. A flypast by the South African Air Force and a 21-gun salute will accompany the formal proceedings.
