BAMAKO: Mali’s president-elect Ibrahim Boubacar Keita began the daunting task yesterday of planning the country’s recovery from political crisis, a military coup and war after his rival conceded defeat at the polls.
Official results from the nationwide vote have not been announced, but Somaila Cisse congratulated Keita, 68, on his victory late on Monday after electoral sources revealed that the former premier was comfortably ahead with two-thirds of Sunday’s votes counted.
Mali’s first election since 2007 was seen as crucial for unlocking more than $4bn pledged by international donors who halted aid in the wake of last year’s coup, which ignited an Islamist insurgency and a French military offensive.
The government has until Friday to make public the result of the run-off vote, called after none of the 27 candidates in the first round on July 28 secured an outright majority.
But a source close to Mali’s election commission said that with nearly two-thirds of ballots counted, Keita was “well ahead”, while unofficial estimates obtained from Malian security sources also put him in the lead.
One of Cisse’s aides said that the former finance minister had decided to admit defeat after it became apparent as early as Monday morning that victory was beyond his grasp.
“I went to see him to congratulate him and wish him good luck for Mali,” Cisse said.
Keita, who has yet to comment publicly on his victory, has become known for his blunt speech, his refusal to compromise and his reputation for toughness.
During his campaign, he vowed to unify Mali after its humiliation in having to call on former colonial power France to help repel the Islamist insurgency in the north, where Al Qaeda-linked movements seized key towns.
AFP
