[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 23, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
             TRIBUTE TO AMBASSADOR CHARLES PROVIDENCE GOMIS

                                 ______


                          HON. HARRY JOHNSTON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 23, 1994

  Mr. JOHNSTON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of the Subcommittee 
on Africa, it is my privilege to rise today to pay tribute to one of 
the leading members of the diplomatic corps in Washington, Ambassador 
Charles Providence Gomis from the Cote D'Ivoire. Ambassador Gomis, the 
dean of the African diplomatic corps, has served both his country and 
the continent of Africa admirably for the better part of the last 8 
years.
  Having first served in Washington in the mid-1960's, under Henri 
Bedie, Ambassador Gomis returns to Abidjan to serve as special advisory 
to the same Henri Bedie, now the successor as President to the late 
President Houphouet-Boigny. I applaud the Cote D'Ivoire for its 
peaceful transition of power, and offer it my support, and that of my 
colleagues, in facing the many challenges that lie ahead not only for 
the Cote D'Ivoire, but for the entire continent of Africa. I also 
applaud President Bedie's wise choice of Ambassador Charles Gomis as 
one of his close advisors, and I am confident that Ambassador Gomis 
will continue to serve his country with distinction from his new 
position, as he has done from Washington.
  Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to Ambassador Gomis for 
his efforts to organize the African diplomatic corps in Washington into 
a more effective and cohesive group in order to secure greater interest 
in and commitment to Africa's unique challenges and opportunities among 
policymakers in Washington. Ambassador Gomis' role in founding the 
African Diplomatic Outreach Program, and his role in the historic 
African-African-American Summits have put him at the forefront of 
efforts to increase cooperation between Africa and the United States. 
As I seek to increase the profile of Africa and an understanding of its 
challenges among my colleagues in the Congress, I am thankful that 
Ambassador Charles Gomis has been, and remains, a partner in these 
efforts.

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