South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on his re-election to lead the North African country.
Fattah el-Sisi has secured a third term as leader of the Middle East’s most populous nation, with 89.6 percent after the counting of votes in the election held between December 10 and 12 was finalised, the National Elections Authority said on Monday.
In a phone call on Monday, President Ramaphosa commended President El Sisi on holding successful, peaceful and transparent elections that saw him win a second 4-year term with an overwhelming 97% of the vote.
The election saw El Sisi re-elected for another term after facing off with little known opposition candidate Moussa Mustafa Moussa. International observers declared the polls largely free of irregularities.
Turnout reached an “unprecedented” 66.8 percent of voters, said authority head Hazem Badawy.
Over 39 million Egyptians cast their ballots for Sisi, a former army chief who has ruled the most populous Arab country for a decade.
The vote, the result of which was in little doubt, took place as Egypt dealt with various crises, including the Israel-Hamas war in neighbouring Gaza and the country’s worst-ever economic crisis.
Since becoming President in 2014, El Sisi has emerged as a key regional ally for South Africa. The two nations have partnered closely on issues such as trade, counterterrorism and regional conflicts.