Ivorian President declares 8-day national mourning following death of PM Hamed Bakayoko
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - Ivorian President Alassane D. Ouattara on Thursday declared a national mourning of eight days starting Friday, following the death of Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko on Wednesday in Germany.
During this period, flags fly at half-mast throughout the country and at Cote d'Ivoire embassies abroad.
The body of Mr. Bakayoko is due to arrive Saturday in Abidjan and his burial is scheduled for March 19 in Séguéla. He died from cancer at the age of 56.
He was first evacuated to France on February 18 before he was transferred on March 6 to Germany.
Hamed Bakayoko, a loyal collaborator of President Ouattara who considered him his son, had replaced as Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, who died on July 8, 2020 in Abidjan following a discomfort in the middle of the Council of Ministers session.
Patrick Achi was appointed on Monday to succeed him on a temporary basis.
-0- PANA TNDD/JSG/SOC/KND/AR 12March 2021
