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Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara on Thursday in Abidjan announced the appointment of former Chief of Army Staff, Phillipe Mangou, as ambassador to Gabon.
The announcement was made by spokesman of the government, Bruno Kone, in a communiqué issued after a ministerial meeting.
Mangou was the head of the Ivorian army under former President Laurent Gbagbo but he refused to order full war when the president was engaged and removed by rebels from the Northern part of the country.
Gbagbo had refused to hand over power after losing an election to Ouattara and he was arrested by rebel forces assisted by UN peace keepers and French special force after heavy bombing of the presidential palace.
Mangou reportedly took refuge at the South African embassy at the height of the crisis.
The former army chief was replaced by Sumaila Bakayoko, who was senior officer in the rebel group, New Force, fought and split the country into two after a civil war in 2002 to 2004.
Ouattara had in April hinted that he would send some senior army officers out as ambassadors to Senegal and Gabon. (NAN)
