Ivory Coast president appoints brother as vice prime minister

Ivory Coast Defense Minister Tene Birahima Ouattara speaks during the inauguration of a new international academy that will train civilian security experts and military officers in the fight against terrorism, in Jacqueville, Ivory Coast June 10, 2021. REUTER/Luc Gnago

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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.

The reshuffle follows Ouattara's re-election in October and his party's victory in December's legislative elections, securing a parliamentary majority.

Ouattara, 84, a former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, has led the country since 2011 and has said that he intends to prepare the ground for a new generation of political leaders during his tenure.

The changes come as 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.

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