In the Ivory Coast, the country has ben celebrating President felix Houphouet-Boigny's 71st birthday. Monsieur Houphouet is Africa's longest serving President.

SYNOPSIS: His birthday was on Monday October the 18th, but the festivities began the previous day with traditional Ivorian dancers performing in front of the President's house.

About 70 members of President Houphouet's ruling Democratic party, led by Secretary General M. Philippe Yace, called to give their best wishes. President Houphouet and hid Democratic party - the country's only party - have been in power since the country became independent from France in 1960, but President Houphouet has been representing his countrymen since 1946 when he first won a seat in the French Assembly.

All over the country people said prayers for the President, who was elected to a fourth term of office on his birthday last year. Politically President Houphouet's power is unchallenged, but there has been speculation about his succession because of occasional periods of poor health. More than 7,000 Frenchmen are still involved in the country's administration but President Houphouet counters local criticism of his reliance on the French by saying that the Ivory Coast is among the most prosperous and stable countries in Africa today.

The country's Moslem population also prayed for the President, whose birthday message was to ask Ivorians to continue to work together in peace and to progress.