Following the historic victory of president-elect, Donald Trump, after a keenly contested election against Democrat presidential candidate and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, the world over has not shied away from showing their surprises and world leaders alike have taken turns to, though, congratulate Trump, but have also given pointer of scepticism in how, he (Trump), would manage the peace of America and international relation, among other issues. PAUL OMOROGBE and VICTOR OGUNYINKA gather world leaders’ reaction and their reservation on what Trump’s presidency portends for the world at large.
UK charges Trump to act for all US citizens regardless of their heritage
Theresa May congratulated Trump on his victory in a hard-fought campaign, saying Britain and the US have “an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.”
She added: “We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence. I look forward to working with president-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead.”
Number 10 policymakers are already viewing the result through the same prism as Brexit. The head of the No 10 policy board, George Freeman, tweeted: “at its heart this is about a broken contract through the failure of globalised market economics to serve the interests of domestic workers.”
He said the result was “a stunning demonstration of how disempowered low income Americans feel by Washington politics and globalisation”. “The insurgency is a big test for the constitutional protections for liberty and democracy in the UK and the US. It is clear we are living through a genuine crisis of legitimacy sweeping through western political economy”.
Nigeria hopes to foster already established friendly relationship
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated United States of America President-elect, Donald Trump, on his victory in the just concluded presidential election.
Buhari in the congratulatory message on behalf of the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, conveyed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on Wednesday in Abuja said he looked forward to working with Trump to strengthen the already established friendly relations between both countries.
He also congratulated American citizens on the outcome of the election, which was keenly observed by all true lovers of democracy and those who believe in the will of the people.
“The president looks forward to working together with president-elect Trump to strengthen the already established friendly relations between both countries, including cooperation on many shared foreign policy priorities, such as the fight against terrorism, peace and security, economic growth, democracy and good governance.”
Saudi Arabia hopes Trump succeed in mission to achieve security, stability in Middle East
King Salman expressed hope that Trump would bring stability to the Middle East. “We wish your Excellency success in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide,” he said, praising US-Saudi relations, which are “historic and tight between the two friendly countries, that all parties aspire to develop and reinforce.”
Russia wants and is ready to restore full-fledged relations with US–Russia
Vladimir Putin sent Trump a telegram to congratulate him. Speaking at a ceremony in the Kremlin, the Russian president said:
“We heard the campaign slogans when he was still a candidate, which were aimed at restoring relations between Russia and the United States.
We understand that it will not be an easy path given the current state of degradation in the relations. And as I have repeatedly said, it’s not our fault that Russian-American relations are in such a poor state. But Russia wants and is ready to restore full-fledged relations with the United States.
“I repeat we understand that this will be difficult, but we are ready to play our part, and do everything to return Russian-American relations to stable and sustainable development track. This would serve the interests of both the Russian and American peoples, and would have a positive effect on the general climate of global affairs given the special responsibility of Russia and the US to sustain global security.”
Trump win opens period of uncertainty—France
French president François Hollande said Trump’s win “opens up a period of uncertainty”. The result showed that France must be stronger, and Europe more united, he added.
Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said European politicians should heed the message from Trump votes. “There is a part of our electorate that feels …abandoned”, including people who feel “left behind by globalisation,” he said.
Partnership with US remains foundation of German foreign policy –Germany
Angela Merkel has issued a carefully-worded response to Donald Trump’s election as US President, taking aim at the divisive rhetoric he used during the campaign.
While Theresa May simply congratulated Trump on his victory, Merkel said she would only offer “close cooperation” dependent on his commitment to equal rights.
The German Chancellor, who has been the driving force behind the EU’s acceptance of hundreds of thousands of refugees, said her relationship with Trump would only succeed if he upheld “the dignity of man, independent of origin”.
She said: “Germany and America are connected by values of democracy, freedom, and respect for the law and the dignity of man, independent of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or political views.
“I offer the next President of the United States close cooperation on the basis of these values.
“The partnership with the United States is and remains a foundation of German foreign policy.”
Trump’s victory, end of Palestinian state—Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump and called him a “true friend of the State of Israel.” Netanyahu said that he believes the two leaders “will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights”.
The news was met with jubilation by politicians on the Israeli right, including the country’s education minister, Naftali Bennett, who declared that Trump’s victory meant “the era of a Palestinian state is over.
“Trump’s victory is an opportunity for Israel to immediately retract the notion of a Palestinian state in the centre of the country, which would hurt our security and just cause. This is the position of the president-elect, as written in his platform, and it should be our policy, plain and simple.”
Trump is popular among the Israeli rightwing not least for having said that one of his first acts would be to reverse years of American government policy and move the US embassy to Jerusalem.
Mexico calls for calm
Mexico’s former presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador called for calm. In a video on Facebook he said Mexico was “a free, independent, sovereign country”. “It is not a colony, it is not a protectorate, it does not depend on any foreign government.”
We’ll deal with any American president to achieve permanent peace –Palestine
The news of Trump’s election was greeted cautiously by Palestinian figures. A spokesman for the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbassaid: “We will deal with any president elected by the American people on the principle of achieving permanent peace in the Middle East based on the two state solution on June 4 1967 lines with east Jerusalem as its capital.”
We hope both sides could avoid conflict, confrontation —China
Chinese state media said President Xi Jinping had called Trump to congratulate him on his victory.
“I place great importance on the China-US relationship, and look forward to working with you to uphold the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation,” Xi was reported to have told Trump. Xi also told Trump he hoped the two sides could avoid “conflict and confrontation [and] instead achieve cooperation and a win-win (relationship.)”
A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said Beijing was looking forward to working with the new administration. “We will work with the new US president to ensure the steady and sound development of bilateral relations so as to benefit the people in both countries as well as around the world,” Lu Kang told reporters at a regular press briefing in the Chinese capital.
We’ll cooperate closely with US for peace, prosperity in Asia-Pacific region, world – Japan
Japan, a key US ally, said it would work closely with Donald Trump to ensure stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
“There is no change to the fact that the Japan-US alliance is the cornerstone of Japanese diplomacy, and Japan will cooperate closely with the US for peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the world,” the chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, told reporters shortly before Trump was confirmed as president-elect.
Katsuyuki Kawai, an aide to the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, said he was planning to fly to Washington to meet Trump officials as early as next week.
“We have been preparing to respond to any situation, because our stance is that our alliance with the US remains the cornerstone of our diplomacy, whoever becomes the next president,” Suga said.
Americans decision positive sign –Turkey
In a statement, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said: “The election marks the beginning of a new era in the United States. I hope that the American people’s decision will facilitate audacious steps being taken regarding fundamental rights and liberties and democracy in the world and regional developments. Personally and on behalf of the nation, I wish to consider this decision by the American people a positive sign and wish them a successful future.”
Election result insignificant on policies of Islamic Republic – Iran
President Hassan Rouhani reacted to Trump’s win by saying that it would not change the trajectory of his country’s foreign policy: “The US election results will have no impact on the policies of the Islamic Republic. Because of wrong policies, the position of America in the international community and world’s public opinion has diminished and [the US’s] growing rift with Europe and the world will exacerbate that position.”
EU seeks clarification on migration, climate change
Top officials at the European Union have invited Donald Trump to Europe for an urgent US-EU summit
In a joint letter, Donald Tusk, president of the European council and Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European commission, congratulated Trump and urged him to come to Europe for talks “at your earliest convenience.”
Tusk and Juncker are seeking reassurance on key issues on which Trump’s remarks on the campaign trial have rattled European leaders, including migration, climate change and Russia’s threat to Ukraine, Guardian UK reported.
The letter said: “It is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations. Only by cooperating closely can the EU and the US continue to make a difference when dealing with unprecedented challenges such as Da’esh [Isis], the threats to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, climate change and migration.”
It added: “We would take this opportunity to invite you to visit Europe for an EU – US summit at your earliest convenience. This conversation would allow for us to chart the course of our relations for the next four years.”
Pakistan
Pakistan’s former president and army chief Pervez Musharraf congratulated Trump on “his historic election”. Writing on Facebook, he said the president-elect “should not quit from Afghanistan”, the country where some US and international forces remain in place.
“I hope he will focus keenly to bring peace and stability around the world and demonstrate deliberate leadership in resolving the conflicts in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent,” he wrote. “We must trust and work together to crush terrorism and eliminate extremism from a position of strength.”
Malaysia
Prime minister Najib Razak – embroiled in a corruption scandal at home that is being investigated in the United States – has sent a very admiring congratulatory message.
“Mr Trump’s success shows that politicians should never take voters for granted. Opinion polls, and established political figures, all underestimated the strength of his support. His appeal to Americans who have been left behind – those who want to see their government more focused on their interests and welfare, and less embroiled in foreign interventions that proved to be against US interests – have won Mr Trump the White House.
He added the US and Malaysia “are firm allies in the worldwide fight against terrorism and extremism.”
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