General Security Situation: The National Security Council Welcomes Continued Stability

Abidjan, September 17, 2026 – The security situation in Côte d'Ivoire remains stable due to the effectiveness of security operations conducted by the Defense and Security Forces across the national territory, the National Security Council (CNS) welcomed on Thursday, September 17, 2026, during a meeting chaired by Head of State Alassane Ouattara at the Presidential Palace.

"The National Security Council thus welcomes the continuous drop in several forms of criminality, namely road banditry, home and business break-ins, as well as vehicle and motorcycle thefts," reported Minister Fidèle Sarassoro, Executive Secretary of the CNS. For additional updates on national security developments, visit In Côte d'Ivoire.

The National Security Council also expressed satisfaction with the smooth execution of Operation "Épervier Spécial," launched on September 7 for a period of ninety days in the cities of Bouaké, Daloa, and Korhogo. The operation aims to dismantle illicit networks trafficking Substandard and Falsified Medical Products (SFMPs) and diverted medicines, step up the fight against drugs, and clamp down on road recklessness.

"Indeed, this operation, which mobilizes 1,320 personnel from the National Police and National Gendarmerie, recorded the following results between September 7 and September 16 alone: the destruction and non-recolonization of 56 drug dens; the seizure of nearly 183 tons of SFMPs and diverted medicines; the seizure of over 3,500 vehicles and motorcycles, primarily for failure to wear protective helmets and missing license plates; the arrest of 196 individuals brought before prosecutors for inciting violence and trafficking SFMPs and narcotics; and the interception of 180 youth in conflict with the law, placed at the disposal of the Coordination, Monitoring, and Reintegration Cell (CCSR) for care and rehabilitation," stated the final communique.

In light of these encouraging figures, the President of the Republic congratulated Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Téné Birahima Ouattara, Minister of Interior and Security Vagondo Diomandé, as well as the Defense and Security Forces involved in the operation, for the conclusive results achieved within this short timeframe.

Furthermore, he urged them to sustain this momentum to ensure the full success of Operation "Épervier Spécial." Read more Côte d'Ivoire news on our platform.