AFP - Alassane Ouattara was sworn in Friday as president of Côte d'Ivoire, after five months of crisis-related challenge to the presidential election Nov. 28 by the outgoing Head of State Laurent Gbagbo, who was arrested April 11, found a AFP.
Mr.Ouattara, 69, was sworn in, standing, right hand raised before the President of the Constitutional Council, Paul Yao N'Dré, the palace of the Presidency, in the administrative district of Plateau (center) in the presence of members of government, diplomats, representatives of the armed forces, political parties and civil society.
"Before the sovereign people of Côte d'Ivoire, I solemnly swear to honor and to respect and faithfully defend the Constitution, protect the rights and freedoms of citizens, to conscientiously fulfill my duties in the best interests Nation, "he said.
"That the people will retire his confidence and that I undergo the rigor of the law if I betray my oath," he added.
"This is the beginning of a new era of reconciliation and unity between all the girls, among all our dear son of Ivory Coast," promised Mr. Ouattara in a brief intervention, immediately after its swearing.
The ceremony took place after the proclamation of Alassane Ouattara as president by the Constitutional Council, ending the controversy over the presidential election.
Ouattara Chairman welcomed this proclamation: "This decision has thus removing any doubt about the outcome of the vote."
3 December 2010, Mr. Yao N'Dré near Laurent Gbagbo, had opened the most serious crisis in the country's history by proclaiming Mr.Gbagbo reelected with 51.45% of the votes at the polls on November 28.
The Council then had to invalidate the results of the independent electoral commission, certified by the UN, giving Mr. Ouattara winner with 54.1% of votes.
December 4, Côte d'Ivoire was thus left with two chairs.Laurent Gbagbo was sworn in during a ceremony with great pomp in the presidential palace, while Alassane Ouattara had done so through a letter to the Constitutional Council.
Laurent Gbagbo was eventually arrested by the pro-Ouattara in the presidential residence in Abidjan on April 11, after several days of bombing of the French Licorne force and the UN, ending four months of crisis and 15 days of war, that killed nearly 3,000 people, authorities said, and about one million displaced.
The inauguration of President Ouattara to be held May 21 in Yamoussoukro (center), the political capital of the country, attended by foreign heads of state.
