Thirty presidents of national assemblies are due to participate this afternoon in Abidjan in a conference of presidents of assemblies of the African region of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie. On the sidelines of this institutional meeting, the President of the French National Assembly met on Sunday with Ivorian cultural actors to take stock of the preparations around the return of the talking drum of the Chaman people.
With our correspondent in Abidjan, Bineta Diagne
This 3.50 meter long wooden piece, which was used in particular as a communication tool, was confiscated in 1916 by French settlers. In November, the talking drum has been totally restored in France. Since then, it has been kept at the Quai Branly museum. This restoration allowed him to be in a state to support the trip to Côte d’Ivoire.
According to the French authorities, the process is “ well engaged “. But a framework law still needs to be adopted by Parliament. “ The government must present a bill to Parliament so that it can be discussed and adopted by our two chambers. It is a process that is not so long but that must be respected “, explains Yaël Braun-Pivet, the president of the French National Assembly.
On the Ivorian side, the Bidjan communities continue to prepare for this return. And Côte d’Ivoire could also benefit from French expertise to refine this project.
For Françoise Remarck, the Minister of Culture, ” it is a real opportunity to co-construct cooperation with several aspects “, notably “ expertise, in terms of conservation, and it is normal for the French national representation to wonder about the place where the drum will return, and this place will be discussed “.
In addition to the talking drum, Côte d’Ivoire has drawn up a list of 147 other objects to be returned to it.