The United States has handed over a 1,000-metre shooting range to the International Counterterrorism Academy (AILCT) in Jacqueville, Côte d’Ivoire, as part of efforts to strengthen security cooperation and counterterrorism training in West Africa.

The facility was officially handed over on Thursday, November 12, 2026. It was financed by the US Department of War through the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM).

The new range will be used to train Ivorian forces and military personnel from other African countries attending courses at the academy. It is designed to support long-range precision shooting and tactical training.

The handover ceremony was attended by Junaid Munir, chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire, and Major General William Temple, AFRICOM’s deputy director for strategy and plans. Brigadier General Joseph Allah Kouamé, head of the academy, received the facility.

Speaking at the ceremony, Munir said military cooperation between the United States and Côte d’Ivoire had never been stronger. He added that training security forces in the region helps address threats at their source.

The latest handover follows the delivery of a 300-metre shooting range to Ivorian special forces at the same site in April 2026.

Inaugurated in June 2021, the International Counterterrorism Academy trains military and civilian personnel from African countries as part of regional efforts to strengthen counterterrorism capabilities.