Direction Générale de l'Administration du Territoire (DGAT) (DGAT)

The DGAT is one of the five directorates-general of the Ministry of the Interior and Security. Besides managing administrative districts and prefectoral authorities, it handles the declaration of associations, NGOs and foundations, amendments, recognition of public utility and certificates of legal existence. Requests are addressed to the Minister of the Interior and Security or to the DGAT's Director General.

Côte d'Ivoire uses a declaration system: under the 2024 ordinance on civil society organisations, founders declare the organisation in writing or online, stating its name, purpose, seat and managers, and a receipt listing the documents filed is issued within seven days (per secondary summaries of the ordinance). The DGAT file includes a handwritten request to the Minister, statutes and internal rules, minutes of the founding general assembly, a legalised attendance list and lists of founders, governing body members and auditors; foreign branches add the parent body's statutes, declaration act and gazette extract plus a representation mandate. Changes to statutes or leadership must be declared with updated documents, and associations declared for at least three years can apply for recognition of public utility with three years of financial statements. Files can be lodged through the 111 prefectures and 490 sub-prefectures. Civil society reports say the new law adds heavier reporting obligations and broad dissolution powers.