ABIDJAN – Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara kept a promise to a key ally on Tuesday by naming his new prime minister, Jeannot Kouadio Ahoussou, from the ranks of the PDCI party.
The party’s backing helped Ouattara defeat former leader Laurent Gbagbo in a 2010 election.
Ouattara named Ahoussou to replace Guillaume Soro, who on Monday was confirmed as the new head of the West African state’s parliament. Ahoussou, 61, was formerly justice minister and Ouattara’s deputy campaign leader.
Ouattara beat Gbagbo in the November 2010 election after securing the backing of the PDCI presidential candidate Henri Konan Bedie in a second round run-off.
Gbagbo refused to accept defeat, triggering a four-month conflict until he was finally ousted with the help of U.N. and French troops.
