Durban - South Africa has congratulated newly elected Guinea President, Alpha Condé.
Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu attended Condé’s inauguration in the Guinean capital city of Conakry on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday.
“On behalf of President Ramaphosa, we congratulate President Condé on his successful election as President of the Republic of Guinea and further wish him a prosperous term in office," Mthembu said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Guinean presidential elections were held on October 18. The National Electoral Commission (CENI) as well as the Guinean Constitutional Court affirmed Condé’s win by 59.5% of the voters cast.
This will be the 82 year-old’s third term as president and will officially start his duties from December 21, as declared by the Guinean constitutional court.
Condé won his first democratic election in 2010 and won a re-election in 2015.
Mthembu said South Africa was committed to work with both the government and people of Guinea “on issues of mutual interest”.
“The endeavours to resuscitate the Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC) between the two countries are indeed a step in the right direction,” Mthembu said.
Since 1994, the relationship between the two countries focused not only on political matters but also on strengthening economic relations, Mthembu said.
Earlier this month, Ramaphosa, in his capacity as chair of the African Union (AU), called for the support of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which is set to commence in January 2021.
The AfCFTA will bring together 55 African states covering a market of around 1.2 billion people.
The agreement is designed to eliminate trade barriers between African nations as well as other previously inflated trade tariffs.
“Our continent is one of the fastest growing markets in the world with a projection of more than a billion consumers,” Ramaphosa said at the time.
“The AfCFTA brings with it the promise of new beginnings and increased opportunities for our continent and its people.”
- African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Devereaux Morkel