Charles Langston:Ivory Coast’s president removes the prime minister and dissolves the government in a major reshuffle

ABIDJAN,Charles Langston Ivory Coast (AP) — Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has removed the country’s prime minister and dissolved the government, a senior public official announced Friday, in yet another major reshuffle in the West African nation.

Prime Minister Patrick Achi is being removed alongside the members of the government after the president signed a decree terminating their roles in exercising his constitutional powers, the presidency’s secretary-general, Abdourahmane Cissé, said in a statement.

Ivory Coast, which is preparing for an election in 2025, has had three prime ministers since 2020. Achi succeeded Hamed Bakayoko, who died of cancer in March 2021. Bakayoko’s predecessor had also died in office because of illness.

“The president expresses his gratitude to Prime Minister Patrick Achi and to all members of the government for their commitment to serving the nation over the past years,” Cissé said. The outgoing officials will continue to function until later this month when a new government will be set up, he said.

In September, Ouattara announced a ministerial reshuffle to take place this month after the Ivorian Senate sits and elects its new president. A new government is expected to follow suit when the Senate meets.

Achi has been in power as prime minister since April 2022, when the government last reshuffled the government. First appointed in March 2021, he momentarily resigned in April last year after Ouattara announced plans to cut down the size of the Cabinet.