At the initiative of His Excellency Félix Houphouët-Boigny, President of the Republic, the Council of Ministers, in its session of March 3, 1976 authorized the creation of a bitumen manufacturing company, the Société Multinationale de Bitumes (SMB). This decision was part of the political vision of the Head of State of Côte d'Ivoire, which aimed to reduce regional disparities through the implementation of a major road program to open up regions far from development centers. His Excellency Alassane OUATTARA, within the framework of the National Development Plan 2016 - 2020 (PND), is pursuing this vision by strengthening the legal frameworks and existing transport infrastructure.