Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated Senegal’s President-elect Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
Freed from prison 10 days before the Senegalese presidential election, 44-year-old Faye, won with 54.28 percent of the vote, which still has to be validated by Senegal’s top constitutional body.
In a statement Thursday, the Presidency said: “President Cyril Ramaphosa has on behalf of the government and people of South Africa congratulated President-elect Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, on his election as the President of the Republic of Senegal”.
The statement added: “The outcome of the election bears testimony to the resilient spirit of the Senegalese people who preferred the democratic course of change of government, through voting.
“The President applauded the other contestants for displaying maturity in accepting the election outcome.”
Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to President Ramaphosa said: “South Africa and Senegal enjoy close political, trade, and social relations deepened by strong historical ties rooted from the anti-apartheid struggle.”
Magwenya said President Ramaphosa has committed to strengthening the bilateral relationship between South Africa and Senegal in pursuit of a better and more peaceful continent.
President Ramaphosa said the Senegalese people have lit “a beacon which will usher in a new hope in the journey of rebuilding Africa by opting for peaceful change of government as opposed to violence”.
