Guinea-Bissau President Joao Bernardo Vieira has appointed a new, consensus prime minister, bowing to pressure from leading political parties.
The government late Monday confirmed the appointment of opposition leader Martinho N-Dafa Kabi as the new prime minister. Kabi is a leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau.
Officials also confirmed the departure of former prime minister Aristides Gomes, who resigned last month after a no-confidence vote by parliament. The president had wanted to keep Gomes, who was a close political ally.
Before the no-confidence vote March 19, Guinea-Bissau's three main political parties signed an agreement calling for the replacement of the Gomes government. They threatened to call street protests if the president did not name a new prime minister.
The West African nation has suffered a series of coups and uprisings since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.