President Ouattara’s shuffling of government structure has pushed the PM Patrick Achi and his subordinates away. Though Achi has not given a formal response to his resignation, he made clear that President Ouattara was the reason.
Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara announced that the country’s prime minister, Patrick Achi, had submitted his resignation. Prime Minister Patrick Achi and his Cabinet have tendered their resignation. Ouattara made the announcement at the opening of Achi’s last Cabinet meeting. The Ivorian president vowed “to appoint a new prime minister who will come to me to propose a streamlined government” in a week.
According to him he has decided to reduce the number of government ministers in order to strengthen government effectiveness and bearing in mind the current world economic situation,” Ouattara said.
Patrick Achi was appointed by presidential degree to the post of prime Minister on March 26, 2021, as the West African nation was in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. He served for a little over a year after his predecessor Hamed Bakayoko died of cancer. His diligent work throughout the Covid-19 pandemic was not ignored as President Ouattara stated “Throughout the past year, despite the exceptional conditions arising from the pandemic as well as the complex regional security environment, Achi have demonstrated commitment and determination.”
In his last Cabinet meeting, he said that his decision to resign followed the intentions by the president to re-shuffle the government.
Next PM will have the task of forming a tightly-knit government consisting of around 30 members compared to 41 today, a number that has sometimes been a source of conflict. So, Ouattara wants to reduce state spending and re-focus on social and security resilience. The government reshuffle was announced last December and had been discussed since the beginning of the year. Initially planned for January, then February, it comes just one year after Achi was appointed Prime Minister.
President Ouattara claims that the smaller cabinet will be more effective and efficient in responding to the global economic climate.
This project first came up against the reform of the Rassemblement des Houphouëtistes pour la Démocratie et la Paix (RHDP), whose new organisation chart was unveiled on 28 February.
Achi was not ready to set up this project, There are a lot of sensitivities that need to be spared and balances to be found. In 2021, it has been decided, by mutual agreement, to wait until the beginning of the second half of the year to tackle the government’s dossier.
Ouattara stated he will appoint a new prime minister who will come to him to propose a streamlined government.
Anxious to separate the party from the government, Ouattara intends to take his time selecting his ministers.
So, the Ivory Coast’s Prime Minister Patrick Achi sent his and his government’s resignation as a response to President Alassane Ouattara plans to significantly slim down the cabinet. Which of the specific ministerial positions will be taken out has yet to be announced. However, several ministries will merge and 11 to 15 ministers will leave the government to make room for four new figures.
Although Achi inherited a pre-formed government, he has known the vast majority of the team for a long time – either as a former colleague or the presidency’s secretary-general. But he does not want to impose anyone – let alone oust people close to the late prime ministers Amadou Gon Coulibaly and Hamed Bakayoko. He and the President Ouattara must obviously consider this as they compose the future government team.
