Ibrahim Boubacar Keita wins Mali presidential pollsAugust 13, 2013 - 09:39 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Mali's presidential election has been won by Ibrahim Boubacar Keita after his rival admitted defeat in the second round. Keita, 68, served as Prime Minister from 1994 to 2000. Mali has suffered a year of unrest including a military coup and a French-led military intervention to oust Islamist rebels from the north. No official results have yet been released following the runoff on Sunday, Aug 11, however, reports had put Keita well ahead. Ex-Finance Minister Soumaila Cisse said he had congratulated Keita and wished him good luck. In the first round Cisse polled just 19% against Keita's 40% and most of the other candidates then gave Keita their endorsements. Keita - known as IBK - will now oversee more than $4bn in foreign aid promised to rebuild the West African state. A 12,600-strong United Nations Stabilization Mission in Mali (Minusma) is currently deploying, as France begins to withdraw its 3,000 troops. After the first round Cisse had complained of widespread fraud, with more than 400,000 ballots declared spoiled. However, Mali's Constitutional Court rejected the allegations and the head of the EU election observer mission, Louis Michel, praised the electoral process for its transparency. On Monday, observers from the EU and the African Union again praised the way the second round was carried out. "Malians should be congratulated because it seems to me they are regaining control of their democratic destiny, which is in fact nevertheless a tradition that exists in Mali," said Michel. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Iran’s Red Crescent sends aid to Armenia’s flood-hit regions The Iranian Red Crescent Society has sent humanitarian aid to the victims of deadly floods that hit northern Armenia on May 25-26. Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. |