Russell Begaye has been sworn in as president of the Navajo Nation and agreed to support several of his predecessor's projects.
Begaye easily beat former two-term President Joe Shirley Jr. in a special election last month. He succeeds Ben Shelly, who served an extended term while legal challenges surrounding the election played out in court.
Begaye and Shelly signed an agreement Tuesday during the inauguration ceremony that outlines eight projects that Begaye will push forward. Among them is a controversial proposal for an aerial tram at the east rim of the Grand Canyon.
Begaye has said economic development will be one of his top priorities. He told a crowd gathered in Fort Defiance that the Navajo Nation needs to become a true sovereign nation by asserting control over minerals and securing water rights.
