Ivory Coast Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko died Wednesday following cancer treatment in a German hospital, President Alassane Ouattara in a statement.
Bakayoko had returned 56 on Monday.
Ouattara called Bakayoko “my son and close collaborater, torn from us too soon,” in a statement read on television.
Bakayoko took over as prime minister in July last year from Amadou Gon Coulibaly, who passed away after returning to the Ivory Coast from two months in France where he had been treated for heart problems.
However, Bakayoko, who was also the country’s defence minister, himself travelled to France for health reasons on February 18 and was later transferred to Germany.
“Given the state of his health, he should remain in hospital for some time,” said Ouattara on Saturday, asking people to pray for the premier.
Bakayoko’s office has been filled by Patrick Achi, previously secretary general to the west African country’s presidency.
Tene Birahima Ouattara, the younger brother of the president, was named interim defence minister.
Official results released Tuesday handed Ouattara’s party a parliamentary majority after legislative elections held at the weekend, with observers hoping the peaceful process has broken with past outbreaks of electoral violence.
