Sidiki Diakité, Minister of Territorial Administration, died on Friday, October 23, after a cardiac arrest. In recent days, it was he who coordinated the attempts at dialogue between the government and the opposition parties.
as reported from Abidjan, Sidy Yansane
As suddenly as it was unexpected, the disappearance of Sidiki Diakité unfortunately echoes that of the Prime Minister and RHDP’s first nominated presidential candidate, Amadou Gon Coulibaly, also died of heart complications three months ago.
It was Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko himself in the middle of an election campaign who publicly announced the news during a political meeting at the Treichville Palace of Culture in Abidjan.
Former prefect of Abidjan, Sidiki Diakité joined the government in 2017 as interior and security minister before moving to the administration of territory and decentralization. His function made this loyal president Alassane Ouattara head of the prefects, overseeing the deployment of local independent electoral commissions across the country. An important role as his ministry has a representative in the CEI.
In recent days, it is also Sidiki Diakité that prepared the technical meetings related to attempts at mediation and dialogue between government and opposition. Meetings that did not finally take place because they are being boycotted by the parties of the candidates Henri Konan Bédié and Pascal Affi N’Guessan, while the first round of the presidential election will be held in a week.
In a statement, the Ivorian presidency praised “the memory of a great servant of the state, a competent and loyal collaborator” and issued three days of national mourning.
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