By Ken Afor
President of the United States of America, President Joe Biden has extended his congratulations to Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his election as the next president of Senegal.
In a press statement issued by the White House, President Biden also conveyed warm wishes to the Senegalese people, highlighting their commitment to democracy, while showering commendation on the smooth and peaceful conduct of the election.
According to the statement, the United States and Senegal have enjoyed a strong partnership spanning over six decades, marked by collaboration on various fronts, including counterterrorism efforts, addressing food insecurity, combating climate change, fighting corruption, and promoting democracy.
Biden expressed anticipation for further strengthening these ties in the coming years, emphasizing the shared goal of forging a more peaceful and prosperous future for both nations.
As Senegal prepares for a new chapter under President Faye’s leadership, the United States president highlighted his country’s commitment to its continued support and cooperation with Senegal to advance mutual interests and address global challenges.
The statement reads: “I congratulate Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his election as the next president of Senegal. And, I send warm wishes to the Senegalese people, who have demonstrated that the right to vote—and have that vote counted—remains democracy’s threshold liberty.
“Over more than six decades, Senegal and the United States have deepened our partnership, including standing together to counter terrorism, address food insecurity, combat the climate crisis, fight corruption, and ensure that democracy delivers for all of our people. In the years ahead, I look forward to strengthening these ties even further as we continue working together to forge a more peaceful and prosperous future for all.”
Faye is expected to be sworn in on Tuesday, April, 2, 2024 following his victory on Sunday, March 24, 2024.
It would be recalled that’ the official provisional results released last Wednesday by Senegal’s electoral officials showed that Faye won the election with 54.28 percent.
His main rival, former prime minister Amadou Ba, the candidate of the ruling coalition, garnered 35.79 percent of the votes cast.
The March 24 presidential poll was monitored by 130-member election observersation mission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), headed by Professor Ibrahim Gambari, a former Chief of Staff to immediate past president Muhammadu Buhari and a former United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General (political).
The high-level ECOWAS election Observation Mission to Senegal’s presidential election, according to Prof. Gambari, also a former Nigeria’s foreign minister, underlined ECOWAS’ commitment to ensuring a free and fair election in the country.
He said: “ECOWAS is ready, able and willing to accompany the electoral process and to ensure that the outcome that this region needs, this country needs, is a free, fair, transparent election in a peaceful atmosphere.”
On the outcome of the election, Professor Gambari, a former Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations and chairman of the Savanah Centre, commended the smooth conduct of the entire exercise.
