African swine fever was reported for the first time in the Côte d'Ivoire on 16 April 1996, in Abidjan. The epizootic resulted in the death of 135,000 pigs, equivalent to 29% of the pig population, of which 80% came from the commercial sector. By November, the outbreaks had stabilised and were then eliminated. All epidemiological evidence showed that the active form of disease ceased in September 1996. A variety of factors were responsible for limiting and then halting progression of the disease from the end of August 1996, including a new strategy which gave priority to local information, better control of the situation, depopulation of the infected area in Abidjan, the epidemiological containment of most cases within the villages, and also the assistance and direct involvement of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The contribution of the FAO was decisive. It provided a diagnosis of the situation, recommended emergency measures, developed a control strategy, ensured the implementation of the control programme, set up a diagnostic laboratory unit and provided training for staff, slaughtered and destroyed any remaining pigs, set up and implemented a local information programme, developed and implemented a scheme for sentinel animals and for epidemiological surveillance, and designed, performed and analysed an epidemiological survey. From the commencement of the epizootic, two major shortcomings became apparent: inadequate dissemination of information, and a shortage of technical resources allocated for the control of African swine fever. These two shortcomings were compounded by other technical and socio-economic constraints.