Côte d’Ivoire Cardinal Ignace Bessi Dogbo of Abidjan joins an ever growing group of new Francis cardinals who have a proven track record of peacemaking and interreligious dialogue in a war-torn region.

Born on August 17, 1961, in Niangon-Adjamé, in the diocese of Yopougon, Côte d’Ivoire, Dogbo was ordained as a priest on August 2, 1987.

After his ordination, Dogbo served in various parishes from 1987 to 1989. He then pursued higher education, earning a degree in exegesis from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. This academic achievement would later prove valuable in his teaching and leadership roles within the Church.

Dogbo went on to serve as the diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies from 1993 to 1995, taught biblical languages at the Saint Paul major seminary in Abadjin Kouté from 1993 to 1997, and served as vicar general of Yopougon from 1995 to 2004.

On March 19, 2004, he was appointed Bishop of Katiola, receiving his episcopal consecration on July 4 of the same year.

His leadership abilities were further recognized when he was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of Korhogo in 2017, followed by his elevation to Archbishop of Korhogo on January 3, 2021. The pinnacle of his career came on May 20, 2024, when Pope Francis appointed him as the Archbishop of Abidjan, succeeding Cardinal Jean Pierre Kutwa.

Cardinal Dogbo has held several significant leadership positions within the Catholic Church in Côte d’Ivoire. He served as the president of the Episcopal Conference of Côte d’Ivoire (CECCI) from 2017 to 2023, demonstrating his ability to guide the national Church. He took part in the Vatican Synod on the Family in October 2015, where he represented the Ivorian bishops. He went on later to attend as a delegate the Synod on Synodality in Rome in 2024.

Pope Francis elevated Cardinal Dogbo to the College of Cardinals on December 7, 2024, reflecting Francis’ efforts to increase diversity within the College and to give greater representation to the global South in the Church’s leadership.

Dogbo is renowned for his commitment to peace and reconciliation, playing a crucial role in West African peace processes, particularly in the aftermath of political conflicts. He has emphasized the importance of open dialogue about the post-election conflict of 2011 and the ongoing reconciliation process, stating that this is the only route through which peace and social cohesion can be achieved.

Cardinal Dogbo has worked to promote peaceful coexistence between different faiths in Côte d’Ivoire. He has highlighted the importance of interfaith dialogue and cooperation, noting that Christians and Muslims in the country are managing to coexist largely without tension. The archbishop has also stressed the common brotherhood of all Ivorians, regardless of their religious background.

Under Dogbo’s leadership, the Ivorian Bishops’ Conference has developed a new pastoral plan for 2019-2023, which includes concrete steps to promote reconciliation.¹Some of these initiatives include: 1. Training 30 priests in mediation to assist in regional and parish conflicts 2. Intensifying contact with other Christian denominations and Muslims 3. Supporting measures that allow young people to build networks and take charge of their own education.

Dogbo has praised efforts by political leaders to foster reconciliation. For instance, he commended President Alassane Ouattara’s decision to pardon former President Laurent Gbagbo, calling it a significant gesture. However, he also emphasized the need to go further and include all Ivorians in the reconciliation process, urging that “everyone participate in the country’s political life.”

The cardinal has also addressed some of the underlying issues that contribute to social unrest. He has called for fair trade policies and better economic opportunities for young people as a means of preventing emigration and potential conflicts.

Like many of his African confreres, Dogbo has taken a traditional Catholic stance on “LGBTQ” issues. In 2023, as his term as president of the Episcopal Conference of Côte d’Ivoire concluded, he preached that “Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender populations need to be healed, not presented as a canon of behavior to be embodied.”

The cardinal has shown a commitment to fostering synodality within the Church. During his installation as Archbishop of Abidjan in August 2024, he pledged to promote the theme of the Synod on Synodality: communion, participation, and mission. He emphasized the importance of maintaining “unfailing synodality” and announced his intention to begin his ministry with a series of consultations, stating, “We’ll have to start with conversations in the Spirit.”