Joint Statement following Discussions With the President of the Ivory Coast.

PRESIDENT Felix Houphouet-Boigny, who is making a ten-day State Visit to the United States as a guest of President Kennedy, will conclude a three-day stay in Washington tomorrow and continue his visit in New York.

Although President Houphouet-Boigny has visited this country twice before, this is his first trip to the United States since his country became independent and since he became its first Chief of State. The Washington portion of the visit has afforded a timely opportunity for the two Presidents to establish a personal acquaintance and discuss fully matters of common concern. President Houphouet-Boigny also had conversations with Secretary of State Dean Rusk and Mr. Fowler Hamilton, Administrator of the Agency for International Development.

The subjects discussed with the President and the Secretary of State covered broad international issues such as Berlin, disarmament and the decolonization of Africa, the promotion of unity and greater cooperation amongst African States. The two Presidents also examined the critical issues in sub-Saharan Africa today. President Kennedy commended President Houphouet-Boigny on his unique record of devoted service to the interests of the people of the Ivory Coast and of other nations of West and Equatorial Africa. President Kennedy laid special emphasis on President Houphouet-Boigny's extraordinary efforts in promoting African unity and cooperation within the Council of the Entente, the Union of African and Malagasy States, and at the recent twenty-nation Lagos Conference.

The two Presidents reviewed the amicable and mutually beneficial relations already established between their two countries. President Kennedy noted with satisfaction the energetic efforts toward economic and social development being carried forward by the Republic of Ivory Coast and of the favorable climate established by the Ivory Coast Government to welcome foreign private capital investment and give appropriate guarantees. He assured President Houphouet-Boigny of the desire of the United States to continue to be responsive to the development assistance needs of the Ivory Coast. During the visit it was agreed that the United States Government would take prompt action on a request for a loan for an Ivory Coast Development Bank which is being established and is designed to encourage the development of private enterprise in the Ivory Coast. Agreement was also reached on several technical assistance projects in the field of education, agriculture, fisheries, and development of the Southwest Region. Some of the projects will be signed within a few days.