Keita: Ibrahim Boubacar Keita

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita: Soumaila Ciss 's concession averts a protracted election fight, allowing Mali to move ahead with establishing a democratically elected government, one of the international community's caveats for unlocking some $4 billion in promised aid, according to CBC. Ciss paid a visit to Keita's home late Monday along with his wife and family. In an exchange broadcast on the private Malian television station Africable, Ciss told Keita he had come "to congratulate you and wish you all the success you deserve; a success for our country so that you can have the strength to take up the enormous challenges that await you." Former Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita won Mali's presidency after his opponent conceded defeat in an election aimed at restoring stability to a country wracked by a rebellion, a coup and an Islamic insurgency. Keita, who is known by his initials "IBK," had been expected to win the runoff easily, having pulled nearly 40 per cent of the vote in the first round. Most of the other candidates from the first round had given their endorsements to Keita, who has had a long career in Malian government. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.