Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has been inaugurated a day after his shock election victory ending nearly two years of turmoil that threatened to turn the honeymoon islands into an international pariah.
Yameen, the half-brother of the islands' long-time strongman ruler, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, was sworn in by the chief justice at a nationally televised ceremony attended by his defeated opponent Mohamed Nasheed.
The 54-year-old politician was given a 21-gun salute. In his first address to the nation he pledged to work with neighbours and the international community, which had put increasing pressure on the nation of 350,000 Sunni Muslims to elect a leader by Sunday.
"We will maintain good neighbourly relations with regional countries and others," Yameen said.
"I shall strive to make Maldives the safest and most developed nation in the region."
The United States and regional superpower India were among the first to congratulate him and said they looked forward to working closely with the new leader.
New Delhi had an uneasy relationship with Male after the toppling of former president Nasheed who once took refuge at the Indian High Commission in Male to avoid arrest. At the same time, the US had raised concerns over the nation's political instability.
"The country needs stability," Yameen, 54, told reporters in Male, just before his inauguration,
"I hope we will receive the necessary cooperation from Nasheed through parliament."
"Instead of confronting political leaders, we will confront the big challenges facing our country," he said.
Nasheed conceded defeat after a bitterly fought battle and said he was pleased that the country finally had a democratically elected leader.
"Today is a happy day for the Maldives - we now have an elected government," Nasheed said.
India noted the reconciliatory tone of Nasheed.
"We welcome the acceptance of the verdict of the people of Maldives by all sides and commitment expressed to take the country forward on the path of stability, progress and development," India's external affairs ministry said in a statement.
Outgoing president Mohamed Waheed acknowledged the Indian Ocean archipelago was still trying to find its feet as a democracy but said it could now move on after the latest vote.
"We are going through an early stage of democratic transition. It's not easy for the Maldives," he said.
"Hopefully we are back on track. I believe now the Maldives is ready to move on. It's a happy ending."
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