South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday congratulated Ivorian President-elect Alassane Ouattara for his winning the recent elections in Cote d’Ivoire.
Several people died in the campaign for Ouattara’s efforts to seek his third term, a move the opposition vehemently disagreed with as they took to the streets to protest at the violation of the country’s laws which limit a president to a two-term mandate.
“The successful conclusion of the election signifies yet another positive step towards the deepening of democracy on the African continent,” said Ramaphosa, who is also the African Union chairman.
The need for South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire to work together to advance continental integration was at the head of the two countries’ commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation, he said.
Ramaphosa also noted the statements of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Election Observation Mission and the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) for declaring the Ivorian Presidential elections “satisfactory.”
Ramaphosa said he had also taken note that the Ivorian Constitutional Council on 9 November confirmed Ouattara as the winner of the 31 October presidential election and was duly re-elected as president of that country.
NM/jn/APA