Central African Republic's new president Faustin-Archange Touadera on Wednesday pledged to "preserve peace" as he was sworn in following polls aimed at restoring stability in the wake of three years of turmoil.

The 58-year-old former maths teacher was the surprise winner of February's presidential election -- the first since the outbreak of a wave of inter-communal violence between Muslim and Christian militias that has killed thousands of people since 2013.

"I pledge to wholly respect the constitution... and preserve peace," he said, promising to carry out his duties "without any ethnic bias".

He also pledged to "revamp the army into an apolitical and secular force" and launched an appeal for "national reconciliation".

The swearing-in ceremony at the main stadium in the capital Bangui was attended by regional leaders, including President Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and Denis Sassou Nguesso from the Republic of Congo as well as the foreign and defence ministers of former colonial ruler France.

It marks the last stage of the political transition that began with the overthrow in 2013 of Christian former president Francois Bozize by the predominantly Muslim "Seleka" rebel alliance.
- 'A great event' -

The crowds at the ceremony included 29-year-old engineer Igor Ali who said the day was a "great event which will allow us to finally bury the past."

Nadege, a shopkeeper who lives with her six children in a camp in Bangui for displaced people, added: "I want Touadera to disarm the militia. We have suffered too much."

After Bozize's ouster, the former rebels ran amok, sacking villages in a wave of bloodletting that sparked fierce retaliatory attacks on minority Muslims by Christian-dominated militia.

In November, Pope Francis visited the country, on his first trip to a war zone, during which he made an impassioned plea for peace and reconciliation.
Several weeks later, a constitutional referendum on limiting the president's tenure was approved by a large majority, clearing the way for elections on December 30.

Touadera's inauguration coincided with an announcement from France that it would end its military intervention in the mineral-rich but deeply poor nation this year.

France launched Operation Sangaris in December 2013, at the height of the violence that swept the country.

At the time Central African Republic "was in the throes of civil war, torn by religious tensions, plagued by chaos, on the brink of pre-genocidal scenarios," French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Wednesday in Bangui.

"In the space of two years, the Sangaris force restored calm and prevented the unacceptable," he said, announcing that the operation, which counted 2,500 troops at its peak, would be wrapped up "during the course of 2016".
- A balancing act -

While admitting that the security situation was "not resolved" yet, Le Drian said Central Africa was finally "emerging from a long period of trouble and uncertainty".

Touadera, who served as prime minister between 2008-2013 under Bozize, faces enormous challenges on both the security and economy fronts.

The so-called "people's candidate" is hugely popular -- partly due to a measure he introduced as premier to pay government salaries directly into bank accounts, ending decades of pay arrears and unpaid wages.

But another former prime minister warned Touadera would struggle to raise revenues.

"(The country) remains cut off from its income due to the systematic bleeding of revenue by armed groups that have set themselves up as customs officers (and) tax officials," said Enoch Derant Lakoue, a presidential candidate.

Central African economist Achille Nzotene added: "It's a balancing act in terms of security, and he must engage in a titanic economic recovery effort."

Like his predecessors, Touadera will be largely dependent on the international community to underwrite his government's budget and security.

The French defence minister also pointed to another huge task he faces: putting in place an effective and non-partisan army.

"There has to be a legitimate army and not one that is divided along ethnic lines and networks," he said.

The army, whose strength is estimated between 7,000 and 8,000, is currently a ragtag force of ill-paid soldiers who are poorly trained and often lack basic equipment.
Source: AFP