Ivory Coast’s President, Alassane Ouattara on Friday confirmed Patrick Achi as Prime Minister. 

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Ivory Coast President  Alassane Ouattara  confirmed Patrick Achi as the West African nation’s new Prime Minister.  Achi replaces Hamed Bakayoko who died on 10 March 2021.  Bakayoko  reportedly died from cancer in the German city of Freiburg, where he was receiving medical treatment. He was 56.  

“The President of the Republic,  Alassane Ouattara proceeded this Friday, March 26, 2021 to the signing  of the decree appointing Patrick Jerome Achi as Prime Minister, head of  government,”

-the Director of Cabinet of the Ivorian President, Fidèle Sarassoro said in a statement. 

Following this appointment, “the  President of the Republic asks the Prime Minister to propose a new  government as soon as possible,” Sarassoro added.

Communiqué de la Présidence de la République du vendredi 26 mars 2021. pic.twitter.com/be2K9mGE4t

— Presidenceci (@Presidenceci) March 26, 2021

Ivory Coast Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko Dies at 56 of Cancer

Credit: Wikipedia /  Ivory Coast Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko  died Wednesday March 10, 2021

 Bakayoko was serving as  Minister of Defense of Ivory Coast last July when he  was appointed Prime Minister, replacing Amadou Gon Coulibaly who died unexpectedly on July 8, 2020. Bakayoko was flown to France in February for medical tests and was later transferred to Germany due to his deteriorating health. Bakayoko  was Minister of Defense since 2017,  and before was Minister of the Interior since 2011. He is also mayor of Abobo, a municipality in Abidjan Côte d’Ivoire since 2018.  Bakayoko was a founding member of the Rally of the Republicans (RDR) party in 1994.