President Alassane Ouattara has appointed his brother, Defence Minister Tene Birahima Ouattara, to a newly created role of vice prime minister, Reuters reported on Friday. Tene Birahima Ouattara will retain his defence portfolio while assuming the additional post, raising his profile within the government.

The move signals a significant elevation for the younger Ouattara, while most other senior ministers kept their positions, suggesting continuity rather than a full cabinet overhaul. Key portfolios remained largely unchanged.

The reshuffle comes after President Ouattara’s re-election in October and his party’s parliamentary majority win in December, consolidating political control.

Alassane Ouattara, 84, a former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, has led Ivory Coast since 2011 and has said his tenure aims to prepare a new generation of political leaders.

The appointment arrives as Ivory Coast, the world’s largest cocoa producer, seeks to capitalise on nearly 15 years of steady economic growth, establishing itself among West Africa’s fastest-growing economies.