Côte d’Ivoire has taken a new step forward in the development of surveillance technologies with the inauguration of a regional center dedicated to civil and professional drone operations.
Presented as the first institution of its kind in West and Central Africa, the "Drone Center” has been established within the Interregional Maritime Security Institute (ISMI).
The project is the result of cooperation between Côte d’Ivoire, Germany, Japan, and several international organizations. Germany, through the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), financed the equipment and regional training programs. Japan, through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), provided computer equipment, while the Ivorian government funded the construction and development of the infrastructure.
The center aims to strengthen the capabilities of stakeholders responsible for maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. Training programs will focus on coastal, port, and offshore facility surveillance, combating illicit trafficking, environmental monitoring, as well as search-and-rescue operations at sea.
Project promoters believe that the use of drones will significantly enhance surveillance systems in this strategic region, which continues to face challenges such as piracy, illegal fishing, cross-border trafficking, and threats to the marine environment.
Beyond the maritime sector, the Drone Center also plans to develop training programs for other fields of activity, thereby contributing to the growth of technological expertise and innovation in Côte d’Ivoire and across the wider region.