CTBTO and Côte d’Ivoire Sign Facility Agreement for IMS Stations in Dimbokro

The Government of Côte d’Ivoire and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) have signed a Facility Agreement covering two International Monitoring System (IMS) stations in Dimbokro. 

The agreement was signed at CTBTO headquarters in Vienna on 19 March 2026 by Ambassador Yacouba Cissé and CTBTO Executive Secretary Robert Floyd, reinforcing cooperation under the Treaty’s verification framework. 

Facility Agreements provide the legal and operational basis for cooperation between the CTBTO and States Signatories hosting IMS stations. They cover the establishment, testing, provisional operation, maintenance, and security of IMS stations, as well as coordination with national authorities, support for the importation of equipment, and the transmission of monitoring data to the International Data Centre (IDC) in Vienna.

Côte d’Ivoire hosts two IMS stations in Dimbokro: the primary seismic station PS15 and the infrasound station IS17. These stations form part of the global IMS network and contribute data to the verification regime of the Treaty, supporting the assessment of compliance and reinforcing international confidence in the Treaty.

Data collected at the stations are transmitted to the IDC in Vienna, where they are analysed and shared with States Signatories. In addition to their role in verification, IMS data support a range of scientific and civil applications, including earthquake monitoring, seismic hazard assessment, and contributing to early warning systems for natural disasters.