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| Alassane Ouattara |
Army chiefs who fought for Laurent Gbagbo, including chief of staff General Philippe Mangou, swore loyalty to Ouattara on Tuesday, a day after his forces captured Gbagbo, who had refused to relinquish power after November elections.
In a boost to his legitimacy, the former military top brass were shown on Ouattara's TCI television station meeting him.
U.S. President Barack Obama called Ouattara to congratulate him on assuming his duties and offer support for efforts to unite the country and restore security.
The European Union also urged Ouattara to form a national unity government to help put the war-shattered country back on track and pledged support for the new government.
Gbagbo's arrest ended a four-month power struggle that had descended into all-out conflict, with more than 1,000 killed, more than a million uprooted and the economy of the once shining star of the West African region in tatters.
The arrest has left Ouattara as the sole leader in the world's largest cocoa grower, although analysts say it may not be enough to stop violence and heal deep wounds.
Sources: http://www.portalangop.co.ao
