World leaders congratulate Biden, see challenges ahead

[PARIS] World leaders rushed to congratulate US president-elect Joe Biden, with many expressing hopes of cooperation in facing future challenges following four volatile years of diplomacy with Donald Trump.

While Mr Trump refused to accept the results of the election, many world leaders clearly backed the announcement that Mr Biden had won with running mate Kamala Harris:

GERMANY

"Congratulations!" said Chancellor Angela Merkel. "I wish luck and success from the bottom of my heart.

"Our transatlantic friendship is irreplaceable if we want to overcome the great challenges of our times," she said in a tweet issued by a government spokesman.

FRANCE

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: "The Americans have chosen their President. Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris! We have a lot to do to overcome today's challenges. Let's work together!"

BRITAIN

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulated Mr Biden "on his election as President of the United States and Kamala Harris on her historic achievement.

"The US is our most important ally and I look forward to working closely together on our shared priorities, from climate change to trade and security."

IRELAND

Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin was one of the first to take to Twitter, tweeting: "I want to congratulate the new President Elect of the USA @JoeBiden. Joe Biden has been a true friend of this nation throughout his life and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead. I also look forward to welcoming him back home when the circumstances allow!"

GREECE

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted: "Congratulations to US President-Elect @JoeBiden. Joe Biden has been a true friend of Greece and I'm certain that under his presidency the relationship between our countries will grow even stronger."

ITALY

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tweeted: "We are ready to work with the President-elect @JoeBiden to make the transatlantic relationship stronger. The US can count on Italy as a solid Ally and a strategic partner."

SPAIN

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted: "Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. We wish you good luck and all the best. We are looking forward to cooperating with you to tackle the challenges ahead of us."

ISRAEL

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close Trump ally, called Mr Biden a "great friend of Israel", congratulating him and Ms Harris on their victory.

He tweeted: "I look forward to working with both of you to further strengthen the special alliance between the US and Israel."

IRAQ

President Barham Saleh extended "warmest congratulations" to Mr Biden, describing him as "a friend and trusted partner in the cause of building a better Iraq. We look forward to working to achieve our common goals and strengthening peace and stability in the entire Middle East".

IRAN

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a tweet that Mr Biden's victory was a chance for the US to "compensate for its previous mistakes and return to the path of adherence to international commitments".

EGYPT

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Egypt, the most populous Arab country, looked forward to "strengthening strategic bilateral ties between Egypt and the US in the interest of both countries and peoples".

JORDAN

The King of Jordan, Abdullah II, tweeted his congratulations to the pair: "I look forward to working with you on further advancing the solid historic partnership between Jordan and the United States, in the interest of our shared objectives of peace, stability and prosperity."

PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas called on Mr Biden to "strengthen" relations between the Palestinians and Washington, which collapsed under Mr Trump.

TALEBAN

The Taleban said they expected Mr Biden to respect a deal agreed with Mr Trump, noting: "We signed the agreement with the American government, not a person."

CANADA

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: "I look forward to working with President-elect Biden, Vice President-elect Harris, their administration, and the United States Congress as we tackle the world's greatest challenges together."

CUBA

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel hailed a new direction chosen by US voters and said: "We believe in the possibility of having a constructive bilateral relation while respecting our differences."

AUSTRALIA

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison wished Mr Biden and Ms Harris "every success".

"The Australia-US Alliance is deep and enduring, and built on shared values. I look forward to working with you closely as we face the world's many challenges together," he said on Twitter.

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, a popular leader who had verbally jousted with Mr Trump, congratulated Mr Biden and Ms Harris in a tweet focused on cooperation.

"With so many issues facing the international community, your message of unity is one we share. New Zealand looks forward to working with you both!"

INDONESIA

Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed his "warmest congratulations" to Mr Biden and Ms Harris. He said: "The huge turnout is a reflection of the hope placed on democracy."

SINGAPORE

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong offered congratulations, reminding Biden of their previous work together while he was vice-president and stating he hoped bilateral relations would deepen.

"You can continue to count on Singapore as a friend and partner," Mr Lee said.

JAPAN

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga wrote on Twitter: "Warm congratulations to @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. I look forward to working with you to further strengthen the Japan-US Alliance and ensure peace, freedom, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond."

SOUTH KOREA

South Korean President Moon Jae In tweeted: "Congratulations to @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. Our alliance is strong and the bond between our two countries is rock-solid. I very much look forward to working with you for our shared values."

THAILAND

Thai PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha published an open letter congratulating Mr Biden and Ms Harris, stating he wished the pair success and that he was looking forward to working closely with the new administration.

INDIA

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Mr Biden's win as "spectacular" while highlighting Ms Harris's Indian heritage.

"Your success is pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for your chittis, but also for all Indian-Americans," Mr Modi said in a tweet to Ms Harris.

"Chitti" is a Tamil term of endearment for the younger sisters of one's mother, which Ms Harris used in her acceptance of the Democratic nomination for vice president.

AFGHANISTAN

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said ties between Kabul and Washington would deepen over counterterrorism as he congratulated Mr Biden.

"Afghanistan looks forward to continuing/deepening our multilayered strategic partnership w/ the United States - our foundational partner - including in counterterrorism & bringing peace to Afghanistan," Mr Ghani wrote on Twitter.

NIGERIA

President Muhammadu Buhari, leader of Africa's most populous nation Nigeria, called for "greater engagement".

He said he looked forward to "enhanced cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, especially at economic, diplomatic and political levels, including especially on the war against terrorism".

SOUTH AFRICA

President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Twitter his government looked forward to "working with you and deepening our bonds of friendship and cooperation".

MEXICO

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, for his part, said it was too soon to congratulate Biden and he would wait for "all legal issues" in the US election to be resolved.

"We don't want to be imprudent. We don't want to act lightly and we want to respect people's self-determination and rights," Lopez Obrador, who has had good relations with Mr Trump, told reporters.

NATO

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg described Mr Biden as a "strong supporter of our Alliance".

Mr Stoltenberg, who often had to adapt to Mr Trump making unexpected announcements about US troop drawdowns from Nato deployments, said in a tweet he looked forward to working with Mr Biden.

"A strong Nato is good for both North America and Europe," he said.

AFP