![Gon Coulibaly is the governing party candidate in October's presidential election [Luc Gnago/Reuters]](https://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/imagecache/mbdxxlarge/mritems/Images/2020/5/3/e8993eb2afee47038b5e1ce28e169cfc_18.jpg)
ABIDJAN, May 5 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ivory Coast’s Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, who is the governing party’s candidate in October’s presidential election, was evacuated to France for medical checks.
A brief statement from the presidency provided no additional details about Gon Coulibaly’s health status.
Gon Coulibaly, 61, self-isolated in late March because of possible exposure to the coronavirus but did not test positive.
A source close to Gon Coulibaly, who had heart surgery in 2012, said the prime minister had missed a scheduled check-up in France in April because he was busy coordinating Ivory Coast’s coronavirus response.
“His intense activity these last weeks had an impact on his health, but it is nothing very serious. He is doing well,” the source said, adding that Gon Coulibaly would return to Ivory Coast in a few days.
Defence Minister Hamed Bakayoko, who recovered from the virus last month, will serve as interim prime minister in Gon Coulibaly’s absence, the statement said.
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara designated Gon Coulibaly in March as the governing RHDP party’s candidate for the presidential election after ruling out seeking a third term himself.
Ivory Coast has recorded more than 1,300 cases of the coronavirus, one of the highest totals in West Africa, and 15 deaths. — NNN-AGENCIES
