This is to congratulate the leader of the main opposition political party in Benin, M. Prince Talon, on his election as President of the Republic, after securing an overwhelming 65% of valid votes cast in the presidential-run off.
I also commend his main challenger, the incumbent Prime Minister, M. Lionel Zinsou, for graciously conceding defeat, a step which will further consolidate democracy in that country. The peaceful nature of the polls has demonstrated the determination of the people of Benin to living in a democratic state where they alone, through the ballot box, will have the power to decide who their leaders are.
As the leader of the pro-democracy wave in sub-Saharan Africa, in the wake of the collapse of the Berlin wall, and the country gaining a reputation as the ‘laboratory of democratisation in Africa’, it is my hope that President-elect Talon’s administration in Benin, over the next four years, will be characterised by the strict adherence to the rule of law and democratic accountability, as well as working hard to improve further on the living standards of his people.
I wish the President-elect and the people of Benin the very best of luck, and pray for God’s guidance and the country’s success in the years to come.
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