“In the coming months, we should switch to liberalization,” said Cote d’Ivoire’s President, Alassane Ouattara. “Government will submit proposals regarding the procedure,” he added.

The President said this on February 11, 2016, as he was receiving, as usual, annual report of High Authority of Audiovisual Communication (HACA).

Prior to this, President of HACA, Ibrahim Sy Savané, told the President that the deadline for liberalization of the Ivorian audiovisual sector could be respected. The official added that the regulator was ready for the liberalization which was expected in 2016. Launched since 1992, the procedure up till now involves only the radio.

However, it is long since Ivorians access more than the state-owned Tv. According to HACA, the country receives 153 TV channels via satellite in addition to 224 radio stations out of which 172 approved FM radio stations.

Ibrahim Sy Savané revealed that the Ivorian audiovisual sector is “boradcasting foreign tv shows and exploiting non-authorized radio frequencies”. He believes this will be solved with liberalization.

HACA’s president said: “We must, on the long run, prevent the reception and broadcasting of non-authorized radio frequencies that pose a real threat to State’s security”.