YAMOUSSOUKRO // Alassane Ouattara was inaugurated as Ivory Coast's president on Saturday, in a ceremony meant to mark the return of constitutional order and the end of a political standoff that sparked a conflict that killed hundreds earlier this year.
"The serious crisis that struck Ivory Coast the day after the election ... has been resolved democratically, respecting the will of the people," Ouattara said in a speech after receiving the country's highest honor - a golden chain called The Great Necklace, worn by all previous presidents.
"This ceremony today is not about the victory of one side over another, but about rediscovered brotherhood and new beginnings," he said after the ceremony.
Tens of thousands of Ouattara's supporters streamed in to Yamoussoukro to witness the event, but no violence was reported.
The stately ceremony should have taken place six months ago after Ouattara won November's presidential election. He was prevented from taking office by outgoing president Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to accept his defeat and who used the army to prevent Ouattara from leaving the hotel that had served as his campaign headquarters. Ouattara was forced to take the oath of office in a ceremony last December inside the hotel lobby attended only by his closest aides.
Saturday's inauguration in Yamoussoukro was attended by nearly 20 heads of state, in a dramatic turnaround underscoring the broad international support he enjoys after an electoral victory that was certified by the United Nations.
"This inauguration is highly symbolic," said Ivorian expert Christian Bouquet.
The large international presence is marked by members of the African Union, who were unable to negotiate a way out of the crisis, said Bouquet, a professor of geography at the University of Bordeaux III.
"But also France and the U.N., who've come to cap off their determination to see democracy prevail," he said.
It also symbolizes the end of the post-electoral conflict that Ouattara's government claims took 3,000 lives.
Bodies still clog the wells of towns in Ivory Coast's troubled west, where forces loyal to the two men waged a bloody battle for power.
U.N. helicopters zoomed overhead, ferrying presidents and prime ministers from the international airport in Abidjan, the commercial capital. French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived by special flight from Paris Saturday and was greeted with cries of "thank you" by the crowd at the ceremony's venue, acknowledging the key military assistance given by France to Ouattara's forces.
Gbagbo was arrested on April 11, after French forces led an air raid on the presidential compound where he had locked himself inside a bunker. He and the former first lady are under house arrest awaiting trial, as are many of his ministers and advisers.
Ouattara also thanked France "for its engagement in the Ivorian crisis ... which allowed many lives to be saved."
He also thanked the U.N. and U.S. President Barack Obama, "whose frank and sincere support was decisive."
Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who was one of the mediators appointed by the AU to try to convince Gbagbo to relinquish power, urged Ouattara to focus on unifying the Ivory Coast.
"There is no point in looking back," he said. "And revenge does not pay."
Odinga said Gbagbo had hoped to hold out long enough to reach a power-sharing deal similar to Kenya's.
"My view is this would have been a rape of democracy," Odinga said. "The African democratic process needs to come of age. People go to elections to choose a leader. There are winners and there are losers."
The normally sleepy boulevards of Yamoussoukro , a city of 300,000 people, were choked with cars. Tens of thousands of Ouattara's supporters poured in overnight, most of them finding nowhere to sleep but the sidewalk.
"I wanted to see this day," said 24-year-old Daho Barke, who slept outside after driving in from Abidjan, the center of government where some of the worst fighting took place. "It's more than a dream to finally see this day come true. We suffered so much to get here."
Going forward, it's unclear how Ouattara will handle allegations of abuse by his forces. After more than four months of diplomatic efforts to remove Gbagbo, Ouattara enlisted the help of a former rebel group based in the country's north.
The pro-Ouattara fighters who streamed in from the north, east, and west and are accused of carrying out horrific massacres in villages known to have supported Gbagbo. The U.N. estimates that over 300 people were killed in the town of Duekoue alone. Aid workers say bodies were thrown in wells and are rotting inside, where no one can reach them.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Match info:
Leicester City 1
Ghezzal (63')
Liverpool 2
Mane (10'), Firmino (45')
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
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Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
SPECS
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Dunki
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