The Ivorian Customs Administration celebrated merit and excellence at a solemn ceremony held on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at the Vridi Auditorium. The event was marked by the highest distinction awarded to the Director General of Customs, Da Pierre Alphonse , who was elevated to the rank of Commander of the Ivorian Order of Merit .

This high distinction was awarded to him by the Grand Chancellor of the National Order, Aly Coulibaly. During his address, Souleymane Méïté, Secretary General of the Grand Chancellery, praised the recipient's exceptional career.

“Mr. Director General of Customs, your dedication, rigor, and strong sense of duty have already earned you the highest rank in the National Order (...). Therefore, the Grand Chancellor, with the approval of His Excellency the President of the Republic, has reiterated the Nation's recognition of the outstanding merits you have acquired with greatness, honor, and dignity in the service of our country.”

Visibly moved, General Da Pierre Alphonse expressed his deep gratitude to the Head of State and to his supervising minister, Adama Coulibaly (Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget).

A shower of decorations for 32 agents

In keeping with the spirit of this day of recognition, 32 other managers and agents of the customs administration were honored. They received the Customs Medal of Honor as a reward for their good and loyal service to the Nation.

The list of the best agents of the year

The ceremony also served as the occasion to announce the winners of the internal excellence awards. The grand prize winner this year is Colonel Koffi Koffi Séraphin , Deputy Director of Large Business Audits at the Customs Investigations Directorate. Named Best Customs Officer 2025 , he received the Super Prize thanks to his exceptional professional performance. Also recognized as Best Office Staff Member, he will have the honor of representing Customs at the prestigious Presidential Excellence Awards.

Several other sector-specific awards were also given:

Winner	Category / Price
Colonel Koffi Koffi Séraphin	Super Award (Best Agent 2025) & Best Office Services Agent
Sonogo Djakaridja	Best Technical Services Agent
Staff Sergeant Traoré Mariam	Best secretary / executive assistant
Brou Kouadio Arnaud	Best Support Services Agent
Second Lieutenant Konan Pascal	Best agent of the brigade services

Each winner received a trophy and a cash prize. Speaking on behalf of the recipients, Colonel Niangoran Théophile warmly thanked the authorities for recognizing their daily efforts.