Mali: Bah Ndaw Sworn in as Interim President

Mali's appointed interim president, the retired colonel Bah Ndaw, was sworn in on Friday in the capital Bamako to lead the country for 18 months before holding national elections.

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The former military, 70 years old, was chief of staff in the Malian airforce and served as defense minister in 2014. From 2008 to 2012, the interim president served as director of the Veteran's Administration, and he graduated from the Ecole de Guerre in France.

During its inauguration, Ndaw promised that he would make "a stable, calm and successful transition, in the agreed conditions and timeframe," as the coup leader Colonel Assimi Goita will be his vice-president.

The appointments represent a relative term regarding the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) demands, which had requested civilian figures as Mali's president and vice-president.

However, ECOWAS representative Goodluck Jonathan welcomed the decision ahead of the inauguration. "I am very happy with what is happening now in Mali. The young soldiers who have taken power are doing a job in line with what the [ECOWAS] leaders wanted," the official said.

On the other hand, ECOWAS Commission President Jean-Claude Brou told the press that the sanctions imposed by the 17 country bloc would be lifted once a civilian prime minister is designated.

"Mali has been shaken, trampled on and humiliated by its children, by us," said Bah Ndaw during its speech. The new president also said that he would tackle corruption, electoral fraud, and he will respect international agreements.