The Right-Hand Rule: Basic Etiquette for Passing, Shaking Hands and Eating in Côte d'Ivoire

In Côte d'Ivoire (in West Africa, French-speaking, the world's largest cocoa producer), many everyday gestures depend on which hand you use. In Asia, passing something with one hand or two is mostly a matter of habit; there, handing something over with your left hand can make the other person uncomfortable. It is a small detail, easy to get right, and just as easy to notice.

Why the right hand

In Côte d'Ivoire and much of West Africa, the left hand has traditionally been associated with cleansing and other unclean tasks, so giving or receiving things with it is often considered impolite. Not everyone is strict about this rule, but with elders, in rural areas or in more traditional settings, paying attention to it shows consideration.

Left-handers need not worry: what matters is the moment of giving and receiving, and eating with your hands. Writing, using your phone and other activities are unaffected.

Passing things and handling money

Offering things with both hands is also a sign of respect locally, which comes naturally to Asians used to presenting business cards with both hands. Pointing a finger directly at someone is often seen as rude; when you need to indicate someone, use your open palm or a nod instead.

Handshakes

Handshakes are common in business settings and are essentially done with the right hand. In cities, a handshake is usually light and brief, accompanied by a greeting and eye contact; in villages, people greeting elders may bow their head slightly or shake with both hands as a mark of respect. If you are holding something, move it to your left hand or put it down, then shake with your right. For the full greeting sequence, see this column's article "Greetings Are Not Small Talk".

Meals: eat with your right hand

Some traditional dishes are customarily eaten with the hands. If this happens when you are a guest in someone's home or in a village:

• Take food and bring it to your mouth with your right hand; keep your left hand away from the shared dish.
• Handwashing follows an order: at shared meals, the host may bring out a basin of water or a calabash for everyone to wash their hands, usually passed around in order of age and status.
• Don't take too much: when sharing a dish, take only from the portion in front of you and don't reach across others; it is also customary to leave some food for the host's children.
• Compliment the cooking: sincerely praising the cook after tasting matters more than eating a lot. If you cannot finish, say you will "just have a taste" rather than refusing outright.

In Abidjan restaurants and at business meals, cutlery is the norm and there is no need to make a point of eating by hand; but if your host shows you how, following their lead with your right hand is usually seen as a friendly gesture.

One line for Asian readers

Extend the good habit of "presenting business cards with both hands" to "passing everything with your right hand or both hands", and you will already have avoided the most common faux pas in Côte d'Ivoire.

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References: Expat Exchange – 10 Cultural Faux Pas to Avoid in Ivory Coast; Hello – Côte d'Ivoire Cultural Guide; CountryReports – Côte d'Ivoire Culture; Oxford Business Group – Facts for visitors, Côte d'Ivoire (2020)