Ivory Coast's president removes the prime minister and dissolves the government in a major reshuffle

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has removed the country’s prime minister and dissolved the government, according to a senior public official. The presidency’s secretary general Abdourahmane Cissé said in a statement Friday that Prime Minister Patrick Achi was removed alongside the members of the government after the president signed a decree terminating their roles in exercising his constitutional powers. President Ouattara had in September announced a ministerial reshuffle to take place this month after the Ivorian Senate sits and elects its new president. A new government is expected to follow suit.