The Ivorian government adopted on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, in Abidjan a bill providing for the creation of an economic and financial criminal court of appeal, which will be responsible for reviewing appeals against decisions of the specialized first-instance division.
The text concerns the creation, jurisdiction, and organization of a set of economic and financial criminal courts structured on two levels. The Economic and Financial Criminal Division would retain the handling of cases at first instance, while the new specialized court would intervene at the appellate level.
According to the minutes of the Council of Ministers, this organization must adapt prosecutions and judgments to economic and financial offenses that are often transnational. The government also cites the technical complexity of the investigations required in these cases.
The reform does not start from scratch. Law number 2022-193 of March 11, 2022, has already established in Abidjan the Economic and Financial Criminal Division as a court of first instance responsible for prosecution, investigation, and judgment of offenses within its jurisdiction.
Under the system currently provided for by this law, appeals against decisions of the division are brought before a special chamber of the Abidjan Court of Appeal. Appeals concerning the orders of investigating judges fall under the jurisdiction of the Investigating Chamber of the same court.
The project adopted by the government goes further by providing for a distinctly specialized economic and financial criminal appellate court. However, its adoption by the Council of Ministers is not sufficient to make it immediately operational, as the text must follow the parliamentary process before possible enactment.
The 2022 law already provides for specialized police and gendarmerie units attached to the division. Their officers and agents operate under the direction of the Public Prosecutor attached to this jurisdiction and have authority covering the entire national territory.
