Burkina Faso elected Roch Marc Christian Kabore as president in the first democratic handover of power since the West African nation gained independence from France more than half a century ago.
Kabore, a former prime minister, received 53.5 percent of the votes cast, compared with 29.7 percent for challenger Zephirin Diabre, according to the electoral commission. Diabre conceded defeat and offered his congratulations to Kabore in a posting on Twitter.
