Mali’s Acting President Dioncounda Traore says he will be happy to hand-over power to a president that will emerge at the ongoing presidential election in the country.
Malian online newspaper, MaliKounda quoted Traore as saying this while addressing the newsmen on Monday in Bamako.
A total of 27 aspirants were voted for on Sunday in a presidential election that took place in the whole country.
Malians residing in countries where the nations has diplomatic mission also exercised their franchise by voting for their choice candidates.
Traore, who said he was satisfied with the general conduct of the election also described it as the best ever held in the country since independence.
“I will be very happy indeed to pass the baton to the person who will emerge through the ballot box.
“I voted for the candidate that convinced me during the campaign, I must say that this is indeed the best elections to be held in Mali since independence in 1960,’’ it quoted him as saying.
Traore was made Mali’s interim president after a coup on March 22, 2012 that overthrew the former president, Amadou Toure.
Mali, Africa’s third-biggest gold producer was also hit by a rebellion in the north that raised terrorism alarm in Africa, plunging the control of the north into the hands of the Tuareg fighters.
The enthronement of constitutional democracy after the election will enable Mali access about four million dollars raised at a donor conference in May.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Malian economy contracted by 1.2 per cent in 2012, and may expand by 4.8 per cent in 2013 with an increase in gold mining.
