Ivory Coast: Olivia Yacé gives up her Miss Universe Africa & Oceania title
The Miss Côte d’Ivoire Committee (COMICI) announced in Bangkok the official withdrawal of Olivia Yacé from all her titles won at Miss Universe 2025. This decision, motivated by personal commitments related to her mandates, ends her reign as Miss Universe Africa & Oceania, only a few days after the 74ᵉ edition of the global pageant.
Olivia Yacé
A dramatic turn in Ivorian beauty circles. Barely crowned Miss Universe Africa & Oceania 2025, Olivia Yacé has renounced her title, according to an official statement released this Monday, November 24 from Bangkok. COMICI, holder of the Miss Universe license for Côte d’Ivoire, indicated that this decision results from « convenances personnelles » related to the beauty queen’s commitments.
The Ivorian organization specifies that it formally informed Miss Universe of the candidate’s withdrawal from « tout titre et mandat » linked to the pageant. This reversal comes only three days after the grand finale of the 74ᵉ Miss Universe competition, held on November 21, 2025 at the Impact Arena in Bangkok.
Olivia Yacé, Miss Côte d’Ivoire 2021 and an iconic figure on international stages, had brilliantly won the regional Africa & Oceania crown.
An official and final withdrawal
COMICI states that the beauty queen will officially return her Africa & Oceania sash « afin que nul n’en ignore ». This handover will formalize the joint decision between the candidate and the national committee.
This unexpected withdrawal is prompting questions and reactions within the francophone beauty-pageant sphere, as Olivia Yacé has enjoyed exceptional recognition since her historic performance at Miss Universe 2021, where she placed among the finalists.
For now, no further details have been given about the exact reasons for this withdrawal. The statement, signed from Bangkok, stresses that the decision is effective immediately and applies to « tout titre et mandat émanant » from Miss Universe. No name has yet been announced to succeed Olivia Yacé as the regional representative.