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Open Source Center (OSC)

Mission

Africa Program’s Abidjan Bureau is responsible for providing coverage of the radio, television, press, press agency, and Internet sources of Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo. The bureau translates/transcribes relevant press articles and reportage monitored from television/radio programs and the Internet in response to the requirements of USG customers, including those located in US Embassies in West and Central Africa. Experienced Bureau monitors have a wealth of knowledge on the media of the region. They frequently contribute to OSC’s analytical production, draft media guides, and conduct periodic source reviews to ensure that the most relevant open sources are being covered. The Bureau operates Monday-Friday from 0730-2100 GMT and Saturday-Sunday from 1230-2100 GMT and extends hours whenever events require.

Workforce

U.S. staff personnel include the Bureau Chief and Deputy Chief.. The bureau’s Regional Engineer is based in OSC Pretoria Bureau. Local staff includes 13 Field Open Source Officers monitoring in French and English,  as well as supporting bureau engineers, systems administrators, budget personnel, drivers and custodians.  In addition, we have one Field Open Source Officer manning a monitoring unit in Embassy Kinshasa (KMU).  A local shift manager coordinates requests from Washington, oversees Bureau coverage and handling of developments, and keeps track of the timeliness/quality of the translations of a network of over 30 independent contract (ICs) translators located throughout West and Central Africa.   

Technical Infrastructure

Abidjan Bureau serves as the region's open source technical and signals collection hub. For those countries outside our technical collection capabilities, the bureau sets up remote collection units.  The signals are collected and distributed by our Audio and Video Integrated System called AVIS. Our monitors access these signals via the Internet, process the required material and then transmit their products to the USG customer via our Internet-based production system called PRINCE.  Our ICs send their products to Abidjan via e-mails that enter directly into PRINCE.

Activities

OSC collects, organizes, analyzes and disseminates open-source media for U.S. Government consumers in response to the requirements of policymakers and analysts.

OSC Abidjan

OSC has been a part of the American Embassy in Abidjan since 1979. This is a regional office covering West African news from Senegal to Congo-Kinshasa.

Further Information

If you would like further information about OSC please contact our customer service office at fbisinfo@rccb.osis.gov.