Ivory Coast Ouattara makes brother deputy PM in reshuffle

Ivory Coast

Abidjan –  Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara announced a government reshuffle Friday in which most ministers retained their posts and his brother, the current defence minister, also became deputy premier.

The reshuffle follows a general election in December in which Ouattara’s ruling RHDP party won nearly 80 percent of the seats in parliament – and three months after Ouattara was re-elected for a fourth term with nearly 90 percent of the vote.Prime Minister Robert Beugre Mambe remains in post.

Ouattara’s brother, Tene Birahima Ouattara, keeps the influential defence portfolio and takes on the newly created position of deputy PM, said the president’s office.

Former premier Patrick Achi becomes speaker of parliament, while 84-year-old Vice-President Tiemoko Meyliet Kone keeps his post.

A notable departure is that of agriculture minister Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani, who has been in office since 2011.

His replacement comes at a time of falling global cocoa prices that have created significant setbacks for farmers in Ivory Coast, the world’s leading producer of the commodity.

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Source: AFP

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