The president of Ivory Coast names his brother as vice prime minister

President Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast reorganized his cabinet on Friday, keeping the majority of senior ministers in place while promoting his brother, Defense Minister Tene Birahima Ouattara, to the newly established position of deputy prime minister, which he would hold in addition to his defense responsibilities.

The younger Ouattara is now higher up in the government, but the majority of important positions have not changed, indicating continuity rather than a complete makeover.

After Ouattara was re-elected in October and his party won a parliamentary majority in the December legislative elections, the reshuffle took place.

As the nation’s leader since 2011, Ouattara, 84, a former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, has stated that he plans to lay the foundation for a new generation of political leaders.

Ivory Coast, the world’s largest cocoa producer, is making these reforms as it looks to build on nearly 15 years of steady economic growth that has placed it among the fastest-growing countries in the region.