In Paris, Gon Coulibaly resists pressure to quit as prime minister

摘要

As Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly readies to return to Abidjan in the next few days after spending more than a month under medical observation in Paris, President Alassane Ouattara is making it increasingly clear that he wants him to fully invest in campaigning for the October 2020 presidential election, where Gon Coulibaly will stand for the ruling Rassemblement des Houphouëtistes pour la Démocratie et la Paix (RHDP). In recent weeks, Ouattara has spoken openly to his entourage about a possible reshuffle that would see Gon Coulibaly replaced as prime minister by Ouattara's chief of staff, Patrick Achi. As this scenario grew more likely over the past few days, those around the prime minister have mounted a counter-attack. Gon Coulibaly, whose nomination as RHDP candidate is due in late June, wants to keep his job during the campaign, even if he farms out the most pressing issues to members of his team. His inner circle is worried that moving out could diminish his authority.