Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara removed Prime Minister Patrick Achi on Friday and said a new government will be formed, which is earlier than expected, with two years left before the next presidential elections.
Ouattara, the leader of Ivory Coast, made an official announcement to stop the work of the prime minister and the government members. This was confirmed by the president’s spokesperson, Abdourahmane Cisse.
The president thanked Prime Minister Patrick Achi and the whole government for their hard work and dedication to the country over the past years.
This decision was expected after the president told the government members about a coming change in their roles during the last meeting on September 28.
Achi took over the position in March 2021, following the passing of his predecessor, Hamed Bakayoko, who had battled cancer.
He in turn had succeeded Amadou Gon Coulibaly, who died suddenly the year before.
In April 2022, Achi stepped down from his position, but was quickly reappointed in a reshuffle.
Recently, he won by a large margin in the local elections in his southern region, Me.
In the September elections, the RHDP party, led by the ruling Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace, secured a strong victory, capturing 60 percent of municipalities and 80 percent of the regions. This makes them the likely favorite for the 2025 elections.
Ouattara hasn’t said if he plans to run for a fourth term yet.
SOURCE:FRANCE24