On November 16, 2021, Equal Access International held the official project launch of the USAID Resilience for Peace project in Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.

Resilience for Peace (R4P) is a five-year USAID-funded, EAI-implemented, initiative to strengthen community resilience, particularly for women and youth, to strengthen community resilience in Côte d’Ivoire’s border areas. The project brings together a dynamic partnership between EAI, the National Opinion Research Center (NORC), Indigo-Côte d’Ivoire, and the Chaire UNESCO for Bioethics at University of Alassane Ouattara.

 

The launch event featured poignant presentations by Dr. Fidèle Gboroton Sarassoro, Cabinet Minister and Chief of Staff to the President of Côte d’Ivoire; Dr. Nancy Lowenthal, USAID Country Representative in Côte d’Ivoire; and R4P Chief of Party, Leanne Bayer.

After the event, Dr. Sarassaro said: “This morning, I chaired the official launch ceremony of the Resilience for Peace project, which is of great importance as the theme addressed stakes of special significance. I am delighted to know that the objectives of this project are perfectly in line with those of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and reinforce the ongoing actions of the Government and the National Security Council, which conform to the instructions of His Excellency, Alassane Ouattara, President of Côte d’Ivoire.”

Together, representatives from EAI, government, and Resilience for Peace’s network of partners presented a powerful vision for how the governments of the United States and Côte d’Ivoire are working together to prioritize a multi-dimensional civilian-led strategy in the northern region of the country. These efforts will reinforce community resilience structures, create civic and economic empowerment opportunities for at-risk border communities, and accelerate improvements in natural resource management and government-service delivery and responsiveness. With a robust research and learning agenda, Resilience for Peace will advance new thinking, educate citizens, and foster dialogue networks to build community trust alongside inclusive and pro-social narratives and pathways to empower at-risk populations.

Follow R4P on social media to stay current on the project’s activities and accomplishments: