IVORY COAST. Abidjan: Prime Minister of Ivory Coast, Hamed Bakayoko has died of terminal cancer in a hospital in Freiburg Germany on March 10.
The country’s president Alassane Ouattara has hailed Bakayoko as a great statesman.
“He was a model of our youth, a personality of great generosity and exemplary loyalty,” said Ouattara in mourning.
Earlier, the president had visited the departed Prime Minister in an American hospital in Paris where he had been admitted to.
A close ally of Ouattara, he was appointed as prime minister in July 2020 following the sudden death of his predecessor Amadou Gon Coulibaly, who had been handpicked by Ouattara to succeed him. He was flown to France on February 18 for medical check.
On February 6, Bakayoko was transferred to a hospital in Freiburg, Germany. According to the reports, Bakayoko had plans to have a transplant in Turkey. But the doctors had warned that he could not be operated due to his critical condition.
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Who was Hamed Bayayoko?
Born on March 8, 1965, Bakayako was the fastest rising young star of Ivory politics. He has served as an assistant to the Prime Minister before working as an Internal Affairs and Security Minister.
A notable figure for the ruling Rally of The Republicans, Bakayoko gave $400,000 to communities of Cavally and neighboring villages in his country. The money was given for the reconstruction of the villages after the civil war.
Before succumbing to cancer, Bakayoko had also contracted malaria and COVID-19.
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