The new Mali President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has pledged to be the president of all Malians, and also thanked the international community for its help in restoring order to the West African Country.

The Malian President made this statement at his official inauguration ceremony held in Bamako, with more than 20 heads of state including French President Francois Hollande present at the event.

Keita addressed a stadium with more than 40,000 Malians in attendance, including representatives of the MNLA, the Tuareg separatist group whose rebellion touched off a coup in Bamako and the Islamist militant takeover of the north last year.
Boubacar Keita’s election restored democracy back to the country, following series of impasse which led to internal war in the country.

He took the oath of office September 4, but his formal inauguration was delayed until today.

He faces numerous challenges, such as rebuilding the shattered army and forging peace with the northern Tuaregs who have been pushing for more autonomy for decades.

Also, hundreds of thousands of Malians remain displaced from the violence of the last 20 months, with many more still living as refugees in neighboring countries.