Ivorian VP, Daniel Kablan Duncan, resigns

Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (PANA) - The Ivorian Vice President, Daniel Kablan Duncan, resigned on Monday, for personal reasons, according to Patrick Achi, secretary general of the Ivorian presidency, who said that President Alassane Ouattara has accepted it.

"The President the Republic would like to pay tribute to a great servant of the state. The Head of State congratulates him on his important contribution to the service of the nation successively as Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister, Head of Government, and Vice-President of the Republic," said Achi in a statement.

The vice president's resignation comes a few days after the death of Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly on Wednesday, who was the ruling party's candidate for the presidential election, scheduled for next October.

This sudden demise of Mr. Coulibaly relaunches the power struggle in the ruling party, even if, according to observers, a possible candidacy of President Alassane Ouattara is not excluded.

-0- PANA TNDD/BEH/KND/VAO 13July2020