Kerry hails legislative elections in Mali

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday applauded the first round of legislative elections held in Mali, calling the polls "one step" in the process of restoring the country's constitutional order. "Mali has taken an important step forward by holding the first round of legislative elections," the top American envoy said in a statement. He added that "these elections speak volumes about the resilience of Mali's democratic tradition and the progress it has made over the past two years." Mali has witnessed a military coup d'etat, renewed fighting between government forces and the Tuareg rebels, and the seizure of its northern territory by radical Islamists since early 2012. By this summer when a successful presidential election was conducted in Mali, a significant step towards the full restoration of constitutional order had been made. Boubacar Keita was sworn in as the new president. "We call on Mali's new government to build on these efforts in preparing for an anticipated second round of legislative elections on Dec. 15, and we encourage the Malian people's peaceful and active participation in those polls," Kerry said. "This is one step in the process of restoring Mali's representative and tolerant political order," he said, appealing to Mali's new government to address the country's most pressing challenges, including national reconciliation and security sector reform, to "ensure strong security institutions under civilian control and oversight."