Hollande congratulates Mali's Keita on election win

French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday congratulated Ibrahim Boubarca Keita for winning the country's presidential election and promised further support to boost the democratic process in the West African country. In a phone talk with Keita, Hollande said Paris "would stand alongside Mali." "What has occurred since the French intervention ... on behalf of the international community, until the election of the new president of Mali is a success for peace and democracy," the president said in a statement released by his office. "But everything must be done now to achieve the end of the transition, the dialogue and the development of Mali," he stressed. Although official results of the run-off have not been announced, Keita's rival Soumaila Cisse on Monday conceded defeat and congratulated Keita on his victory. According to media reports, Hollande was scheduled to fly to the former French colony to attend Keita's official nomination. At the request of Malian authorities, France, in January, launched air and ground operation in the country to help dispel Islamist insurgents from the Malian main northern region. Paris pressed for a vote after pulling out its 3,000 remaining troops from the country and handed over to a UN mission.