Cardinal Ignace Bessi Dogbo, Archbishop of Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire) was born on 17 August 1961 in Niangon-Adjamé, in the diocese of Yopougon. He was ordained a priest on 2 August 1987. After serving as parish minister (1987-1989), he was awarded a licentiate in exegesis from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, and went on to hold the roles of diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (1993-1995), vicar general of Yopougon (1995-2004), parish priest of the Cethedral of Yopougon (1997-2004), professor of biblical languages in the Saint Paul d’Abadjin Kouté Major Seminary, and diocesan spiritual assistant of the J.E.C. He was elected bishop of the diocese of Katiola on 19 March 2004, receiving episcopal consecration the following 4 July. He served 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 (from 2021 to 2024). On 20 May 2024 he was appointed metropolitan archbishop of Abidjan.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory of 7 December 2024 of the Title of Ss. Mario e Compagni Martiri.