Security Advisory: Cote d’Ivoire (17 January 2017)

Executive Summary

Reports have emerged that elite loyalist troops killed a mutinous soldier in the administrative capital Yamoussoukro on Tuesday 17 January. The soldier’s death is the first to occur since a mutiny over pay erupted in the city of Bouake on 5 January. The mutiny concluded last week after an agreement was reached between the government and soldiers, who began receiving their payments on Tuesday. However tensions have remained high and on 17 January, troops, enraged that they were excluded from the deal, took to the streets of Yamoussoukro and Bouake, firing into the air and prompting fears of further unrest.      

Security Advisory

Tensions remain high across the country and the incidents in Bouake and Yamoussoukro may spread further across the country. In order to prepare for civil disorder we recommend the following immediate action:

• Have a weeks supply of life support, including fuel
• Keep vehicles out of site in repair shops and stripped of valuables
• Be prepared to hand over vehicles if forced
• Keep a manifest of all staff and report daily
• Book all staff off site and back daily
• Do not go out before 0900 and be back by 1500 to avoid peak traffic and obvious car jacking times
• Ensure all staff have adequate air time and have emergency numbers and control post numbers to hand
• Establish a Duty Manager roster so that there is always a responder ready
• Email all movements to a central point so that there is a running record
• You should expect to see increased government forces traffic and presence if tensions increase

MS Risk continues to closely monitor the situation in Cote d’Ivoire and we will issue further bulletins as more information becomes available.