Ivorians pay tribute to PM who died last week

Ivorians Tuesday paid tribute to Ivory Coast Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, who died last week only three months before he was due to be the ruling party’s presidential candidate.

President Alassane Ouattara, who had considered Coulibaly his heir apparent, presided over the ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in the capital, Abidjan.

He was joined by Senegal’s President Macky Sall.

Ivory Coast’s Education Minister, Kandia Camara, said Amadou Gon (Coulibaly) was a great negotiator, who through his sense of compromise could bring about agreements from the most difficult positions. He added that when talking with civil society partners and the political opposition, he proved he had a great capacity for listening, for resilience, for compromise which allowed them to reach precious agreements.

“During the ministerial or government meetings, he had the gift and the talent to bring everyone into agreement through the power of his analysis and his summaries. He was our boss, who could stamp his rhythm, coherence, onto the government’s actions,” Camara, said.

The ceremony was broadcast live on national television and ended with Ouattara presenting the Ivorian flag to Coulibaly’s widow.

Coulibaly, who was 61, will be buried Friday in his hometown in northern Ivory Coast, officials said.