Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara reshuffled his cabinet on Friday, maintaining most senior ministers while appointing his brother, Defence Minister Tene Birahima Ouattara, to the newly created role of vice prime minister, which he will hold alongside his defence portfolio.
The move elevates the younger Ouattara within the government hierarchy, while most key portfolios remained unchanged, signaling continuity rather than a comprehensive overhaul.
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The reshuffle follows Ouattara’s re-election in October and his party’s victory in the December legislative elections, which secured a parliamentary majority.
Ouattara, 84, a former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, has led the country since 2011 and has said he intends to lay the groundwork for a new generation of political leaders during his tenure.
The changes come as the Ivory Coast, the world’s largest cocoa producer, seeks to build on nearly 15 years of sustained economic growth that has made it among the region’s fastest-growing economies.
