President Evariste Ndayishimiye also railed against Western governments that he said had conditioned providing aid on accepting gay rights. His remarks do not carry the force of law.

The Central African nation’s election, which cost over $1.25 billion to run, drew accusations of fraud, prompting several key opposition figures to call for its annulment.

Our correspondents ventured to some of the world’s most remote, and dangerous, locales to report stories that reveal a country’s culture and the human condition. Here are our favorites from the year.