The simulation exercise for securing the December 2025 parliamentary elections was presented on Thursday, 27 November, in Grand-Bassam, 40 km southeast of Abidjan, in the presence of Chief of Defence Staff, General Lassina Doumbia.
The event highlighted the “Citizen Dome” operation, which aims to secure the parliamentary elections scheduled for 27 December 2025 through the deployment of 44,000 defense and security personnel across the country from 14 December to 4 January 2026.
According to the armed forces spokesperson, Colonel Séraphin Blé, of this total, 23,670 personnel will be specifically dedicated to securing the country’s 11,835 polling stations, ensuring at least one pair of officers per station.
He added that the deployment, consisting of 18,000 gendarmerie members, 18,000 national police officers, and 8,000 military personnel, also includes the command chain, mobile patrol units, and support staff.
Following the presidential election security operation, known as “Esperance,” defense and security forces have been conducting a simulation exercise since Sunday, 23 November 2025, to prepare for the parliamentary vote.
The exercise is taking place in Bonoua and Grand-Bassam in southeastern Cote d’Ivoire due to their high population density and specific logistical challenges, Colonel Blé said.
He emphasised that the exercise is designed to test the security arrangements implemented during the October 2025 presidential election and to review coordination among all actors on the ground in order to enhance operational readiness.
At the conclusion of the simulation briefing, General Doumbia issued directives regarding the “Citizen Dome” operation and tasked command leaders through their representatives to implement the measures on the ground.
AP/lb/as/APA