The following report highlights major news developments in politics and health in Cote d’Ivoire as of 13 August. The report focuses on opposition leader’s plan to give a new direction to the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI). It also highlights the seizure of prohibited drugs by the Gendarmerie of the southeastern town of Aboisso. The report includes background information to add context to the news.
POLITICS
Opposition Leader Seeks To Reposition Party for 2025 Presidential Election
Pascal Affi N’guessan, the chairman of the official wing of the opposition Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) held a closed-door meeting on 12 August with his allies following a recent decision by former President Laurent Gbagbo to break away from the FPI and form a new party. Affi N’guessan’s meeting aimed to discuss the preparations for an extraordinary central committee scheduled on 14 August to define new directions for the FPI.
Background: On 9 August, Gbagbo decided to leave the FPI, the party he founded with former First Lady Simone Gbagbo, and to form a new one with the hardline wing of his supporters. Affi N’guessan has been seeking to position his party for the 2025 presidential election.
HEALTH
Aboisso Gendarmerie’s Anti-Drug Unit Seizes 3 Metric Tonnes of Prohibited Drugs
As part of the fight against illicit trafficking in drugs, narcotics, and substandard and falsified medicines (MQIF), the Anti-Drug Unit of the Aboisso Gendarmerie, acting on an anonymous tip-off, carried out two major successful operations, media reported.
The first was in the locality of Kotouagnoua (Nouamou) with the seizure of 2.131 metric tonnes of prohibited products, consisting of substandard and falsified medicines, fireworks, firecrackers, and laxatives known as “edjamounou koko”, coming from neighboring Ghana via the lagoon. The gendarmerie arrested three people. The second operation took place on the edge of the Ehy lagoon with the seizure of 662 KGS of the same products. In total, the two operations resulted in the seizure of 2.793 metric tonnes of substandard and falsified medicines, fireworks, and laxatives.
Background: The seizure of narcotics and substandard and falsified drugs in the southeastern town Aboisso on 12 August is the third in a week. The first operation occurred in the northern town of Niakara, where more than seven metric tonnes of inferior and falsified medicines were seized by the agents of the Motorcycle Brigade of the Regional Directorate of Bouaké. The same operation took place in the western town of Man, where the Regional Direction of the Drugs and Narcotics Police seized six metric tonnes of substandard and falsified drugs on 9 August.
Picture of seized prohibited drugs