African leaders have congratulated US president-elect Joe Biden on his victory, expressing hope that ties will be restored between the continent and the US, following the rule of President Donald Trump.
“We congratulate President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and the American people on your election. We look forward to working with you and deepening our bonds of friendship and cooperation,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
The African Union Commission’s chair person Moussa Faki Mahamat said on Twitter he looked forward to a new, stronger USA-Africa relationship based on “mutual respect”.
The relationship between some African countries and the US weakened under incumbent Donald Trump, who at times blasted leaders and largely ignored the continent, unlike his predecessor Barack Obama.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari also congratulated Biden “on his election at a time of uncertainty and fear in world affairs.”
“President-Elect Biden’s remarkable track record gives us hope that he will add value to the presidency and world affairs. We look forward to greater cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, especially at economic, diplomatic, political, and security levels,” Buhari tweeted.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa offered his “huge congratulations” to Biden and said he looked forward to working together.
Zimbabwe is hoping under Biden US sanctions could be lifted. The country has been hurt by sanctions imposed on it due to rights abuses and irregular elections during the leadership of late President Robert Mugabe.