Andry Rajoelina took charge Wednesday as Madagascar's acting president and vowed to curb poverty on the island, a day after the army ended a months-long power tussle and swept him to the top job.
Speaking to 15,000 supporters in the capital Antananarivo, the 34-year-old asserted his authority and promised to reverse some of the policies that sparked popular discontent with ousted president Marc Ravalomanana.
Most foreign powers were non-committal, neither legitimising the power grab nor describing it as a coup even as the constitutional court confirmed Rajoelina as the acting president.
But Zambia called for Madagascar's suspension from the African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Foreign Minister Kabinga Pande said Lusaka rejected the "unconstitutional" change of guard.
Rajoelina vowed to deliver on some of the main themes that drove his campaign to unseat Ravalomanana, in his first address as acting head of state.
"I will do everything I can to ensure that Madagascans are lifted out of poverty," he said.
Rajoelina promised to bring food prices down on the Indian Ocean island, where three-quarters of the population live on less than two dollars a day, and took a swipe at Ravalomanana, who owns a flourishing food empire.
"I am not going to sell rice and oil," he said. "I am going to reduce prices."
He also said he would sell Force One, the ousted president's plane, adding that the money would be used "to establish a hospital for the people's health, which is a higher priority."
Force One is a Boeing 737 that Ravalomanana recently purchased from Disney World for 60 million dollars.
Rajoelina late Wednesday said he would like to see his predecessor arrested for high treason, but admitted this would be impossible if Ravalomanana was, as suspected, sheltered in a diplomatic mission.
"If you're in a protected embassy residence, nobody can go in," he said.
One of his first tasks at the helm of the transitional authority he set up last month will be to fill the constitutional gap of his takeover.
Among a host of problems, he is six years too young to run for president under the present constitution.
Rajoelina has two years to organise fresh elections, a move rejected by former colonial power France.
"The 24-month period to organise fresh elections is too long," foreign ministry spokesman Eric Chevallier said.
"Under such extraordinary circumstances, the international community wants a quick return to democracy."
Relieved to witness the end of a three-month period of instability during which 100 people were killed, Madagascans appeared torn, some hoping Rajoelina can bring about change and others condemning a coup.
"Ravalomanana had to go because people were sick of his dictatorial style and contempt for other people's opinions," said Rija, a 29-year-old from Antananarivo.
"But yesterday's developments were realised through force," he added.
Rajoelina effectively took charge on Tuesday evening after the military rejected a plan laid out by the beleaguered Ravalomanana to hand over power to some of his allies in the military.
The 59-year-old Ravalomanana's resignation came hours after the army had blasted its way into his offices and let his arch-foe take control.
The move marked a dramatic victory for Rajoelina, the sacked mayor of Antananarivo who has been leading a months-long push to topple Ravalomanana after seven years as president.
While Ravalomanana did receive support from his African peers, the condemnation was muted.
A special meeting of the African Union in Addis Ababa called for the security of the outgoing president and his entourage to be guaranteed.
"We would want constitutional order to continue," said the African Union's top executive Jean Ping. "If the military do not follow this, this will be a coup. But then again we are still following the situation."
UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed "grave concern" as he urged all sides "to act responsibly to ensure stability and a smooth transition through democratic means."
Ravalomanana's whereabouts following his resignation were not immediately clear but speculation has abounded for days that he might flee into exile.
Most of his family left when he lost control of the army last week.
