New Ivorian vice president Tiemoko Meyliet Kone sworn in

Côte d'Ivoire's new vice president, Tiemoko Meyliet Koné, took the oath of office on Wednesday before the Constitutional Council in Abidjan, a day after his appointment to the post which had been vacant for nearly two years.

"I solemnly swear on my honor to respect the Constitution, to conscientiously fulfill the duties of my office, in strict compliance with its obligations and with loyalty to the President of the Republic," Koné said.

"May the President of the Republic withdraw his confidence in me if I betray this oath," he added, at a ceremony attended by the Head of State, Alassane Ouattara.

On Tuesday, in front of deputies and senators gathered in Congress in the Ivorian political capital Yamoussoukro, President Ouattara announced the appointment as vice president of Mr. Koné, governor of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) since 2011.

Little known to the general public, Tiemoko has had a long career at BCEAO. He was also cabinet director of Prime Minister Guillaume Soro between 2007 and 2010, Minister of Construction, and then special adviser to President Alassane Ouattara, in charge of economic and monetary issues.

"I measure the honor that has been done to me, I also measure the responsibility of the task that is now mine and that I intend to address at your side with humility and determination," said the new vice president in a brief speech after his swearing-in.

The post of vice president, enshrined in the last constitutional reform of 2016, had been vacant since July 2020 and the resignation of Daniel Kablan Duncan for "personal reasons".

According to Article 62 of the Constitution, the Vice President becomes President "by right" in case of vacancy "by death, resignation or absolute impediment" of the latter.

"Article 62 makes the vice president in case of a power vacancy, not an interim, but by right a president of the republic in charge of continuing and completing the current mandate," the president of the Constitutional Council, Mamadou Koné, said on Wednesday.

A new government is to be appointed this week by Prime Minister Patrick Achi, who was reappointed on Tuesday, six days after his resignation.

It will be composed of about thirty members against more than forty currently, in order to "take into account the global economic situation" and thus reduce "state expenditure", according to President Ouattara.