Tallis Obed Moses sworn in as Vanuatu's new president

SUVA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Tallis Obed Moses was elected and sworn in Thursday as Vanuatu's new president after rounds of voting.

In the fourth round of voting Thursday morning, Moses, one of the 16 people vying for presidency, secured 33 votes to 12 votes for his major rival Maxime Carlot Korman, garnering two-thirds of the vote and won, according to the Pacific Islands News Association.

Moses, a pastor hailing from the Pacific island country's central province of Malampa, was sworn in Thursday afternoon. He replaces President Baldwin Lonsdale, who passed away suddenly last month.

Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu, is a parliamentary democracy. As head of state, Vanuatu's president's post is for five years.