Vatican City — On May 20, the Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, presented by His Eminence Cardinal Jean-Pierre Kutwa.The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Ignace Bessi Dogbo, until now metropolitan archbishop of Korhogo, as metropolitan archbishop of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

Archbishop Ignace Bessi Dogbo was born on 17 August 1961 in Niangon-Adjamé, diocese of Yopougon. He was ordained a priest on 2 August 1987.

After ordination, he first held the offices of parish minister (1987-1989). After obtaining a licentiate in exegesis from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, he served as diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (1993-1995), vicar general of Yopougon (1995-2004), parish priest of the Cathedral of Yopougon (1997-2004), professor of biblical languages at the Saint Paul d'Abadjin Kouté Major Seminary, and assistant diocesan spiritual assistant of the J.E.C.

He was elected bishop of the diocese of Katiola on 19 March 2004, and received episcopal consecration the following 4 July. He went on to serve as president of the Episcopal Conference (2017-2023), apostolic administrator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the metropolitan archdiocese of Korhogo (since 2017), and metropolitan archbishop of Korhogo (since 2021).