Ivorian Prime Minister in France for medical checkup

Ivory Coast Prime Minister Patrick Achi has been admitted in a hospital in Paris for medical tests, Reuters has reported.

Mr Achi, a close confidant and former chief of staff of President Alassane Ouattara became interim prime minister following the death of the second prime minister of the West African nation in less than eight months.

Mr Achi succeeded Hamed Bakayoko, who died from cancer at 56 after he was admitted in a German hospital in March. Mr Bakayoko, too, had replaced Amadou Gon Coulibaly, who died following cardiac complications in July 2020.

Reuters quoted two sources close to Mr Achi as saying that the ailing leader was being treated for “severe fatigue” suffered since he was appointed.

The reason cited for the medical tourism by the cocoa-rich country’s leader is not new.

Weeks before the death of Messrs Gon Coulibaly and Bakayoko, government sources had told reporters that they were suffering from fatigue.

Last week, Mr Achi flew to France for a medical examination, but he had to cut short the trip to tend to the power crisis that hit his country back home, the sources said.

He is seen as a key figure in the quest to end Ivory Coast’s power generation deficit that has tanked electricity supplies in the francophone country for several weeks.

By Tuesday, he returned to Paris, cancelling a tour of hydroelectric dams, the sources noted, adding that he will have routine medical tests, rest for several days before returning to Ivory Coast.

Mr Achi is believed to be poised to succeed Mr Ouattara, who won re-election to a third term in October 2020.