APA-Pretoria (South Africa) South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated his Sierra Leonean counterpart Julius Maada Bio on his re-election following polls held last month, the presidency has announced.
Bio was re-elected with 56.7 percent of the vote in polls held on June 24.
In a statement late Tuesday, Ramaphosa’s office said the South African leader viewed the Sierra Leone elections as a consolidation of democracy in the country and the continent, in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 whose main “goal is the consolidation of democratic gains and improving the quality of governance, respecting human rights and the rule of law.”
“On behalf of the government and people of South Africa, President Ramaphosa commends the people of Sierra Leone for conducting peaceful and successful elections,” the presidency said.
It said Ramaphosa would like to see the continuation of the cooperation between the two countries.
“President Ramaphosa assures President Bio of his commitment to continue enhancing and strengthening bilateral cooperation between South Africa and Sierra Leone from which deepened trade and investment, and people to people relations, will be rooted,” the statement said.
It added: “President Ramaphosa looks forward to engagements with President Bio within the context of bilateral cooperation, key regional, continental and global issues guided by the continent’s Agenda 2063.”
NM/jn/APA