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Amadou Coulibaly urges artists to promote African culture at MASA 2026

Amadou Coulibaly, Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, visited the Abidjan Arts and Spectacle Market MASA on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, and encouraged artists to promote African culture. The event, which officially opened on Saturday, April 12, 2026, at the Treichville Culture Palace, saw Coulibaly tour various stands, including the International Audiovisual Content Exhibition SICA. Accompanied by Françoise Remarck, the Minister of Culture and Francophonie, Coulibaly met with art critics and emphasized the importance of young Africans telling their own stories. He stated that the continent has much to offer and that Africans must narrate their history through their own content. Coulibaly also highlighted the role of art critics in this endeavor and urged them to focus on promoting African culture, asserting that if Africans do not value their own works, no one else will. He noted that this vision aligns with the SICA, whose fourth edition is scheduled for November. Françoise Remarck praised Coulibaly's efforts in the success of the 14th edition of MASA, recalling that President Alassane Ouattara initiated the event in 1993 when he was Prime Minister. She encouraged new art critics to use MASA as a platform to showcase their talent and help Côte d'Ivoire shine. The ministers also visited the "innovation village" and appeared on MASA TV. The first cohort of art criticism training for MASA's 14th edition selected 15 candidates from 276 applicants, with the best c