Ivory Coast president set to name slimmed-down cabinet as PM resigns

The prime minister of Ivory Coast has tabled his resignation and that of his government as President Alassane Ouattara plans to slim down the size of the cabinet.

The government will be reduced to around 30 ministers from the current 41, with new appointments to be made next week to govern the world's top cocoa producer, Ouattara announced on Wednesday.

The president is expected to address a joint session of the West African country's parliament on April 19, a government spokesperson said.

A slimmer cabinet will be more efficient and in tune with the global economic climate, Ouattara said during the cabinet meeting at which he accepted the government's resignation.

"It is imperative to reduce state spending and re-focus on social and security resilience," he added.

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Government re-shuffle

The president, while giving an approximate number of ministers that will be in the next cabinet, did not specify which ministerial positions would be cut.

Ex-prime minister Patrick Achi was not immediately available for comment.

At the cabinet meeting, Achi said his decision to resign followed the intentions of the president to re-shuffle the government.

"We have given the best of ourselves to execute your vision for 2030," he told Ouattara.

Achi, 66, was appointed prime minister in March last year.

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