Ivorian judges and prosecutors have been meeting in Cocody since May 21st for an intensive workshop. The objective: to harmonize and strengthen the judicial response to a scourge that threatens the national economy.

Ivory Coast's legal arsenal against counterfeiting is about to be strengthened. On Thursday, May 21, 2026, the National Institute for Judicial Training (INFJ) in Cocody Bonoumin opened its doors for approximately forty hours of intensive training. This seminar is specifically designed to equip the country's magistrates (judges and prosecutors) with the tools for a more rigorous application of intellectual property law.

This strategic initiative is led by the Ivorian Intellectual Property Office (OIPI), hand in hand with the National Committee for the Fight Against Counterfeiting (CNLC) and the Directorate of Civil and Criminal Affairs (DACP) of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.

Strategic sectors under double threat

In her opening speech, Geneviève Diakité, coordinator of the CNLC, immediately laid out the urgent situation. The counterfeit trade is experiencing rapid and alarming global growth, and Côte d'Ivoire finds itself on the front line.

The country is particularly affected in three vital sectors:

1. The agri-food sector (economic and public health risks)
2. The pharmacy (a direct factor in mortality and counterfeit medications)
3. Cultural industries (piracy and the weakening of creators)

Justice as a deadly weapon against fraud

Given this situation, the response can no longer be passive. For the CNLC, the effectiveness of the fight against corruption depends almost entirely on the quality and firmness of the sanctions handed down by the courts.

"The quality of the judicial response is crucial to ensuring the effectiveness of the fight against counterfeiting." — Geneviève Diakité, coordinator of the CNLC.

To deliver a powerful and fair verdict, legal professionals must have a thorough understanding of the intricacies of a complex legal framework. This training therefore focuses on the revised Bangui Agreement (the reference text in West Africa), as well as on the interplay between national laws and major international conventions.