The Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, Hamed Bakayoko, here in 2017. – AFP
Côte d’Ivoire has once again lost a leading political figure. Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko died Wednesday at the age of 56 in a hospital in Germany from cancer, eight months after the death of his predecessor. First announced by his entourage, the death of Hamed Bakayoko was quickly confirmed by President Alassane Ouattara.
“I pay tribute to Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko, my son and close collaborator, too soon torn from our affection,” said the Head of State in a statement read on public television RTI. He served Côte d’Ivoire “with dedication and abnegation, he was a great statesman, a model for our youth, a personality of great generosity and exemplary loyalty,” he said. added.
Patrick Achi is acting
Hamed Bakayoko, who was also Minister of Defense, was evacuated to France on February 18 by special plane for “health reasons”, before being transferred to Germany last weekend, when the general elections were being held. in his country. Despite his absence, he was largely reelected as a deputy in his stronghold of Séguéla.
On Monday, the secretary general of the Ivorian presidency, Patrick Achi, was appointed interim prime minister. Téné Birahima Ouattara, Minister of Presidential Affairs and younger brother of President Ouattara, has meanwhile been appointed interim Minister of Defense.
A death two days after his birthday
Hamed Bakayoko, who turned 56 on Monday, succeeded in July 2020 as Prime Minister to Amadou Gon Coulibaly, who died a few days after his return from hospitalization and convalescence in France for heart problems. Appreciated in all camps of a country marked by strong political tensions, he was perceived as a possible successor of Ouattara, and his opponents were keen to salute his memory. Charles Blé Goudé, who has long been a pillar of supporters of former President Laurent Gbagbo, was thus one of the first to pay tribute to him since his exile in Europe.
The world of Ivorian popular music, which Hamed Bakayoko appreciated, was also saddened by his death. “Apart from the fact that he was a great politician, I personally lose a big brother, a friend and a godfather. He was a […] big lover of music ”, reacted Asalfo, of the famous group Magic System.
