RoseAnne Archibald of Ontario will be the first woman to serve as national chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

She secured victory after her rival, Reginald Bellerose from Muskowekwan First Nation in Saskatchewan, conceded the race.

The election had gone to a fifth round of voting after neither Archibald nor Bellerose passed 60 per cent threshold for victory.

That remained the case when the AFN announced the fifth-ballot results, but then Bellerose said he was withdrawing from the race.

Seven candidates were initially vying for the job a national leadership role that represents 634 First Nations, where more than 900,000 people are members.

Incumbent National Chief Perry Bellegarde did not stand for re-election.