The content of my postcard is below:

"Respected Prime Ministar Daniel Kablan Duncan, Excuse me boldly write to you. I am a Chinese retired employee, as well as a philatelist for many years. Recently, you paid a important visit to China and attended the 22nd Congress of U universal Postal Union in Peijing. This is a huge inspire for number tens of millions philatelists of China and Cote D'Ivoire. Your visit brought about people's friendship of "the Ivory coast". In order to leave a historic remember in a philatelic form for philatelists and peoples of both countries, I earnest hope you could autograph this postcard (left) at your leisure inside of busy affairs of state and mail it back to me, as a perpetual philatelic treasure. I looking forward to your kind help. Pray accept my best and sincerest wishes. Congratulating the 23rd UPU Congress will be hold smoothly in your country. A Chinese retired philatelist Han Wenguang 1999.9.15."　　

I received reply letter from Cote D'Ivoire on Nov.7,1999. This my first received letter from an Africa country leader.(See right above). There is a square red mark with " Postage paid in bulk", the left side of square mark is a parabiotic round datemark and a national emblem mark. French " 01 B.P. 1639 ABIDIAN 01 REPUBLIQUE DE COTE D'IVOIRE" was printed below the national emblem mark. The despatching chop is Oct.27,1999. Nanjing arrival mark ( back side) is Nov.7,1999. It shows the time of conveyance of mail is 11 days. There is a golden yellow national emblem in the back side, French "REPUBLIQUE DE COTE D'IVOIRE" was printed in a ribbon.　　　

The postcard seems to suffer water immersing. There are two arrival postmark in the back side of the postcard. The red one is more clear, could see English " COTE D'IVOIRE" and 5-10 1999. Other one is more dim, but could see the date seems 6-10 1999, It maybe a postmark of final destination office. It shows the time of conveyance of mail is 22 days. The time is more long. It is not match with modern postal service. I am afraid that it is related to the Africa all economic developing is more backwardness.

The sign of Duncan is powerful and vigorous, and it is very interesting. It shows a national nature of outburst of enthusiasm in Africa region.( I have a same impress for three autographs of Africa countries leaders received by me, see eng2-019, eng2-023). This autograph also shows a talent and training. This sign was distributed 3 row: The first row is French greetings " Bien cordialement"; The second is his name "Duncan Kablan", the autograph is very regular and neat; He adopted a exaggerating and decorative artistic means in he third row, first and last letter was changed to use a artistic form, a extended line of first letter is very coordinate with a decorating line in bottom. This autograph is very earnest. I deep feel a friendly emotion of this Africa country leader from this autograph.

The total area of the Africa continent is about 30 millions square kilometers, it is second big continent in the world that is only less than Asia continent. Its history is age-old, natural resources is extremely abound. The reserves of petroleum, coal, iron, chromium occupies the first place in continents. The diamond reserves occupies 95% of the global, gold occupies 2/3. However most countries is very backwardness in the economy. There just are 32 Africa countries in the global poorest 47 countries. The world economic develop is so unbalance, its primary cause should invoke to ponder. It is reported that from 1999 to 2002, Cote D'Ivoire happened two coup, three mutiny and one abortive coup. Serious riot happened as a result of general election in 2000 (See below left), and it is reported again that an abortive coup happened when I am writing this (Chinese)web page (See below right)!

As the new generation ordinary Chinese who is just getting away from same suffering experience of the elder generation, I sincerely wish that the peaceful god early befalls the Africa earth, as a philatelist, I also wish the 23rd universal postal congress that Premier Duncan make his great efforts for will be smoothly held in Cote D'Ivoire. Let more people concerned about Cote D'I voire, Let Cote D'Ivoire early walk into a thriving and prosperous luminous road!