Despite the existence of constitutional guarantees that are supposed to ensure a favourable environment in Côte d’Ivoire, the order of 12 June 2024 on the regulation and organisation of civil society imposes heavy constraints on organisations. This order has already been used to dissolve student and school associations.

In the run-up to the 2025 elections (presidential and legislative), peaceful demonstrations were banned, dispersed by the security forces, and led to mass arrests, convictions and prosecutions for disturbing public order.

Several emblematic cases of arbitrary arrests, abductions and detentions of political activists have been reported, illustrating the increasing criminalisation of critical opinions and increased surveillance of dissenting voices, including online.

Frameworks for dialogue between the authorities and civil society organisations exist and allow for some collaboration, but their impact remains limited. Furthermore, political and media discourse sometimes tends to stigmatise critical CSOs, portraying them as destabilising actors.