Cote d'Ivoire's new transitional cabinet inaugurated

President of Cote d'Ivoire Laurent Gbagbo on Saturday announced the line-up of a new transitional government to replace the former cabinet that was forced to resign collectively 10 days ago as a result of a toxic waste scandal.

Gbagbo retained most of the former ministers in the new cabinet still headed by Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny, with Minister of Transport and Minister of Environment, Water and Forest replaced by Thiam Abdelaziz and Daniel Aka Ahizi respectively.

Meanwhile, a few new positions were created, including a human rights minister and a territorial administration minister.

"The new government must work towards a new behavior in terms of good governance in Cote d'Ivoire," Banny said in an interview.

The 32-member cabinet resigned last week to claim responsibility for the dumping of toxic waste, which resulted in the deaths of seven people, caused more than 1,500 others to fall sick, and triggered protests.

The poisoning was attributed to a foreign cargo ship that unloaded hundreds of tons of waste containing hydrogen sulphide in densely populated areas last month.

According to Banny, the former minister of transport "delivered permits -- or permits have been delivered under him -- which are connected to this affair," and the former minister of environment, water and forest was withdrawn by his own party.

Judicial authorities have arrested eight suspects allegedly responsible for the dumping.

Source: Xinhua