Statement by the national security council on 17 April 2025
A meeting of the National Security Council was held on Thursday 17 April 2025 at the Palais de la Présidence de la République, chaired by His Excellency Alassane OUATTARA, President of the Republic.
The National Security Council notes with satisfaction that since its last meeting, the general security situation has continued to improve significantly throughout the country.
Indeed, the General Security Index fell from 1.4 in January 2025 to 1.2 in March 2025, a drop of around 14%.
This positive trend in the national security situation is due in particular to the effectiveness of the security operations regularly carried out by our Defence and Security Forces throughout the country.
In this respect, the National Security Council welcomes the success of the operation to combat illegal gold washing, which, as at March 2025, had resulted in the following casualties:
– The arrest of 67 people of different nationalities;
– 233 illegal gold panning sites cleared;
– The seizure of cash, weapons and ammunition;
– The destruction of around 1,400 makeshift shelters and more than 1,700 items of equipment.
The National Security Council is also pleased with the good performance of the anti-drug section and the anti-drug units of the National Gendarmerie deployed throughout the country, whose activities in March 2025 resulted in:
– The arrest of 357 individuals;
– 148 smoking rooms destroyed; and
– The seizure of almost 102 kilograms of cannabis, 5 kilograms of medicines used for drug addiction, 148 kilograms of counterfeit products and 275 tonnes of substandard and falsified medicines.
Lastly, the National Security Council commends the remarkable results of the “Verrou 322” operation to combat the flight of agricultural products to neighbouring countries.
This operation, which began in October 2024 and is being carried out jointly by all the Defence and Security Forces and the administrative authorities, is aimed at stemming the significant increase in the smuggling of agricultural products observed during the 2023-2024 agricultural season.
Over the period from October 2024 to March 2025, the system put in place as part of this operation achieved the following significant results:
– The seizure of 594.4 tonnes of cocoa, 307 tonnes of cashew nuts and 265 pieces of machinery; and
– The arrest of 34 people, all of whom were brought to justice.
Despite these encouraging results, the National Security Council is nevertheless concerned about the continuing high number of traffic accidents. This number rose from 1,408 in January 2025 to 1,466 in March 2025, an increase of around 4%.
Faced with this persistent situation, the main cause of which remains the indiscipline of certain road users, the President of the Republic has instructed the Prime Minister, Head of Government, to propose to the Council of Ministers an emergency action plan including awareness-raising and repressive measures, with a view to drastically reducing road accidents. This action plan will be evaluated periodically.
Finally, as the Easter festivities approach, and with the aim of guaranteeing that the population can celebrate these festivities in peace, the Head of State has given instructions to the Ministers in charge of Defence and Security, as well as to the major commands, to ensure, as in previous years, the success, throughout the national territory, of the security operation known as “Pâquinou”.
At the end of the meeting, the President of the Republic, satisfied with the overall security situation, reiterated his congratulations to all those involved in ensuring the security of our country, while urging them to continue their efforts so that the people living in Côte d’Ivoire can continue to enjoy the climate of peace and security that has prevailed in our country for more than a decade.
Signed in Abidjan,
Thursday 17 April 2025,
Mr Fidèle SARASSORO,
Minister, Executive Secretary of the National Security Council