The Minister of Water and Forests, Assahoré Konan Jacques, made a passionate appeal for rigor and integrity to the new recruits in his department. This took place on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, during a double ceremony marking the completion of training for nearly 1,100 agents, now ready to become the guardians of Ivory Coast's natural heritage.

The event honored two elite contingents: the first class of the National School of Water and Forestry (ENEF) and the new commandos of the Special Surveillance and Intervention Brigade (BSSI).

A new generation of nature guardians

The ENEF graduating class, named "Téné Birahima Ouattara Class" , saw the graduation of 977 new agents , distributed as follows:

1. 24 second lieutenants (officers);
2. 953 sergeants (non-commissioned officers).

The minister invited them to follow in the footsteps of their patron, the current Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, by embodying values of courage, loyalty to the State and a high sense of duty.

The BSSI is strengthening its intervention forces

In parallel, the Special Surveillance and Intervention Brigade (BSSI) has been reinforced with 110 agents trained in the rigorous school of the Special Forces Training Center in Zangué:

1. 100 agents received their commando insignia after an intensive introductory course;
2. 10 agents have achieved elite commando instructor status following an ultra-selective training course.

A united front against ecological disasters

Faced with the increasing number of environmental threats in Ivory Coast — including illegal gold mining, clandestine logging, poaching and the illegal occupation of classified forests — the minister wanted to be uncompromising.

Addressing the BSSI commandos in particular, Assahoré Konan Jacques reminded them that their new insignia were not an honorary distinction, but the symbol of a heavy responsibility:

“You will need to demonstrate discipline, endurance, resilience, integrity, and a high sense of sacrifice. You are called upon to be at the forefront of the fight against all attacks on our natural heritage. (...) Always stand on the side of the law, the Republic, and the public interest.”

For the government member, environmental protection goes beyond the simple ecological framework: it is a national imperative directly affecting the sovereignty of the country, the preservation of lives and the future of future generations.