Wow. Election is resolved in Mali a day after the balloting and before the official results are announced.
On Monday Soumaila Cissé, former finance minister, conceded to Ibrahim Keita, a former prime minister.
Not that my voice matters to anyone, but I wish from the bottom of my heart that Mr. Keita will have a successful presidency and bring peace and prosperity to his country.
See Wall Street Journal – Keita Wins Mali Vote After His Opponent Concedes for the news.
Other background articles
Economist – So far, so good – Article starts with a list of the struggles of the last year. The election is getting good marks for record turnout of about 54% and for transparency. Article suggests lots of work to do after a good start.
Wall Street Journal – Nations Closely Watch Runoff Vote in Mali – Drew Hinshaw provided the first update I saw in Monday’s paper.
Africa is a Country – Mali’s Elections: First Thoughts on Round Two – News I saw first on Monday evening before I noticed the concession. Gregory Mann provides more context than I can absorb. Helpful for me though. My summary of his conclusion – progress, even if small, is good:
Whether Cissé or Keita is elected, the major challenge will be to assert authority within the state and over the army. The time will come to take all that on, but for the moment, it’s worth remembering that the outcome of this election will represent stability more than change