Ivory Coast Court Proclaims Ouattara President

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast -- The head of Ivory Coast's highest court has proclaimed Alassane Ouattara president.

Paul Yao N'Dre, the head of the constitutional council, was previously one of the staunchest supporters of former President Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to step down after losing last year's election.

In December in the days after the contested vote, N'Dre refused to accept Ouattara's victory and invalidated results from his strongholds in order to be able to proclaim Gbagbo president.

In a prepared statement Thursday, N'Dre said that "the constitutional council proclaims Alassane Ouattara president of the Republic of Ivory Coast."

Gbagbo was removed militarily in April five months after the disputed ballot and is now under house arrest awaiting trial.