In the 1980s, the Ivoirian armed forces had a dual mission: to defend the nation from attack and internal subversion and to participate in the socioeconomic development of the country. They had no overt political role, although it was understood that they were to support the regime. To avoid diverting resources from national economic development, Houphouët-Boigny kept the armed forces relatively small and lightly armed. Compensating for the limited capacity of the armed forces was a strategic doctrine that relied on external military support from France. The government consciously sought to avoid conflicts or arms races with its neighbors and eschewed pan-African defense missions.
Data as of November 1988