Anthony Wong recognized as honorary consul to the African Republic of Côte d’Ivoire

Kuala Lumpur – Ambassador for the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Her Excellency Boa Liliane Marie Laure, was in Kuala Lumpur yesterday to officiate at the installation of Mr.

Kuala Lumpur – Ambassador for the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Her Excellency Boa Liliane Marie Laure, was in Kuala Lumpur yesterday to officiate at the installation of Mr. Anthony Wong as the honorary consul in Malaysia for the West African nation. The ceremony held at the Carcosa Seri Negara was attended by diplomatic representatives, business associates and close friends of Mr. Wong and those associated with the travel industry.

Her Excellency welcomed the opportunity to develop stronger ties between Côte d’Ivoire and Malaysia and praised Mr. Wong for his efforts in promoting tourism in Malaysia. The Ambassador, who is based in Japan and with responsibilities for several countries including Malaysia, made mention of the many similarities between Côte d’Ivoire and Malaysia and hoped that Mr. Wong’s appointment would lead to stronger ties between the two countries.

In accepting the appointment Mr. Wong said he would work hard to promote the interests of both countries and looked forward to taking a small delegation to Côte d’Ivoire in September to explore several possible new links especially in the tourism industry. He commented that the similarities in climate, landscape and natural assets meant that there were many opportunities for both countries to develop business opportunities.

Mr. Anthony Wong has thrived on enthusiasm and adventure since he was 17 years old growing up in Malaysia. In 1976, he and a team of enthusiastic adventurers established Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel (AOS) to promote nature and culture tours within the country to foreign visitors. His life is guided by his favorite motto – don’t go where the path leads, rather go where there’s no path and leave a trail. Driven by this ambition, he has guided and directed the company into being one of Malaysia’s leading travel companies that is involved in all sectors of the tourism industry.

His experience and effort to promote the Malaysian tourism industry have been recognized not only locally but internationally as his advice is often sought from around the world, and he is frequently invited to give talks and seminars on issues related to the travel industry.

The Republic of the Côte d’Ivoire is located in West Africa and is bordered by Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana and to the south, the Gulf of Guinea. While also known in English as the Ivory Coast the preferred name is Côte d’Ivoire. The country was once a French protectorate and then a colony before attaining independence in 1960. Its capital is Yamoussoukro (population 120,000) while Adidjan (population two million) is the largest city and the administrative capital. Its economy is largely market based, which relies on agriculture with smallholder cash crop production dominating. Coffee, cocoa, palm oil, timber and mining are important sectors of the economy. The country’s population is currently estimated to be 18.5 million.

There are three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the country – Tai National Park, Comoé National Park and Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve. Tai NP protects the single largest tract of undisturbed lowland tropical rainforest in West Africa. Comoé is one of the largest protected areas in West Africa and is home to various habitats including thick shrub savannah and patches of primary rainforest. It is also home to the largest remaining elephant herds in the country. Mount Nimba at 1,752 m is the highest point in the country, but being a strict reserve, is a protected home for flora and fauna and off limits to tourists.

Another important attraction in the country is Africa’s largest church, the Basilica of Yamoussoukro, which was officially consecrated by Pope John Paul 11 in 1990. The church is larger than St. Peter’s in Rome.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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