Ouattara inaugurated as Ivory Coast leader

Sunday, May 22, 2011

YAMOUSSOUKRO, Ivory Coast -- President Alassane Ouattara was inaugurated Saturday as Ivory Coast's president in the ceremony he should have enjoyed six months ago, but was prevented from holding by the entrenched ruler who refused to accept his election defeat and nearly dragged the nation into civil war in a bid to stay in power. In an effort to stop Ouattara from assuming office, outgoing president Laurent Gbagbo deployed the army to block the roads leading to the hotel which had served as Ouattara's campaign headquarters in the weeks before last year's election. Imprisoned inside, Ouattara was forced to take the oath of office in the hotel lobby.

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