The Prime Minister of Cote d’Ivoire, Amadou Gon Coulibaly, 61, is dead. The country’s president, Alassane Ouattara who announced his death via his official Twitter account said he died shortly after attending a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Abidjan on Wednesday afternoon.

He said, “Fellow compatriots, Ivory Coast is mourning.

“ It is with deep pain that I announce to you that Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly has left us.

“I salute the memory of a statesman, a man of great loyalty, dedication, and love for his homeland.”

According to reports from local media, the Prime Minister had been evacuated to France in May but died after attending his first cabinet meeting since returning from France, where he received medical treatment for several weeks.

Coulibaly was expected to stand as the ruling party’s presidential candidate in the October election after president Ouattara announced that he would not seek a third term.

Until his death, he served as the Prime Minister since January 2017 after serving as Secretary-General of the presidency for six years.