Sana'a, City, Rabi'II 5, 1433, Feb 27, 2012, SPA - Yemen's newly-elected president Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi was officially inaugurated on Monday, putting an end to 33-years of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh's rule. "I now hand over the flag of the revolution, the republic, freedom, security ... to safe hands," said Saleh as he handed the Yemeni flag to Hadi, in a symbolic gesture during the ceremony. Hadi was sworn into office on Saturday, after he received 99.8 per cent of the vote in Tuesday's presidential election, in which he was the sole candidate. "We are laying a new base for peaceful transfer of power in Yemen," said Hadi during Monday's ceremony in the presidential complex in the capital Sana'a, according to a report of DPA. Hadi, who served as Saleh's deputy for some 17 years, said that Yemen now faces a complicated and difficult period, and called on all people to cooperate with the new leadership during its two-year interim period. Saleh has returned from the United States on Friday after weeks of medical treatment to attend the inauguration ceremony. --SPA 13:07 LOCAL TIME 10:07 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/974213