Ivory Coast's Ouattara wins in landslide
October 28, 2015
Ivory Coast's electoral commission announced Wednesday that President Alassane Ouattara had won 83.6 percent of the vote. He needed more than 50 percent to avoid a runoff.
The second-place rival, opposition candidate Pascal Affi N'Guessan, got 9 percent.
The vote, which took place on Sunday, was reported as peaceful and transparent by international observers, which was news sure to give confidence to investors in the world's top cocoa grower. The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) also put voter turnout somewhere around 54 percent, allaying fears that voters would avoid the polls.
"I would like to congratulate all Ivornians for their maturity and exemplary behavior," said Ouattara, "Ivory Coast is resolutely committed to the path of stability and the reinforcement of democracy."
Ouattara formerly worked for the International Monetary Fund and his leadership is credited with helping the West African nation revitalize its economy following a 2011 civil conflict.
When ex-President Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept Ouattara's 2010 poll victory, a conflict erupted that took 3,000 lives. Gbagbo is currently awaiting trial before the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity.
es/bw (Reuters, KNA)