Côte d’Ivoire has a new Vice-president: central banker Tiémoko Meyliet Koné was appointed on Tuesday by Head of State Alassane Ouattara to the post, which has been vacant for nearly two years, while Prime Minister Patrick Achi was reappointed.
Governor of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) since 2011, Mr Koné is “a brilliant economist” and an “outstanding technocrat”, according to Alassane Ouattara who announced his appointment before the parliamentarians gathered in Congress – National Assembly and Senate – in the political capital Yamoussoukro.
“He is a man of consensus and probity who has my full confidence,” added the head of state. The parliamentarians gave him a standing ovation and Mr Koné went up to the podium to shake hands with the president. He is expected to be sworn in the coming days.
Born in 1949, this little-known economist will leave the BCEAO, where he has been governor since 2011 and where he oversaw the ongoing reform of the CFA franc. Before becoming governor of the BCEAO, he had a long career within the institution.
He also had a short political career in Côte d’Ivoire: he was chief of staff to Prime Minister Guillaume Soro between 2007 and 2010, Minister of Construction, and then special adviser to President Alassane Ouattara, responsible for economic and monetary issues.
“This is a personality who has demonstrated his personal and professional qualities in all the high positions he has held in the public administration, the Ivorian government and outside Côte d’Ivoire,” added the head of state.
The post of vice president, enshrined in the last constitutional reform of 2016, had been vacant since July 2020 and the resignation of Daniel Kablan Duncan for “personal convenience”.
The appointment of a vice president had been expected for several days, after the resignation of the government last Wednesday, which foreshadowed a reshuffle of the executive. The outgoing Prime Minister Patrick Achi was finally reappointed six days after resigning.
“It is to take into account the global economic situation and the need to reduce state spending that the government that will be put in place this week will be tightened. Mr. Prime Minister, you have my instructions to this effect,” said Alassane Ouattara, addressing Patrick Achi, to thunderous applause. The latter must now propose a government team of about thirty names against forty currently.
