France praises Mali Presidential elections

People across Mali cast ballots yesterday in the country’s first presidential vote after more than a year of turmoil under a provisional, unelected government.

Some observers and local politicians initially warned that Mali shouldn’t bow to international pressure to hold the vote as chaos in the West African country persisted and thousands remained displaced.

But nevertheless, the vote went peacefully and France hailed the landmark elections as a “great success” for France, which sent thousands of troops into the country’s vast desert to drive out an Islamist push in the north after a March 2012 coup.

“Congratulations are in order that the Mali elections went off well… For France, it is a great suceess,” French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said.