MONROVIA, Montserrado – Several world leaders, including from neighboring countries and major bilateral donors, have congratulated President-elect George M. Weah on his election.

Among the countries that sent out public congratulatory messages are the U.S., France, the People’s Republic of China, and Morocco. The messages are significant, given that during the campaign, opponents used scare tactics to suggest that major donors would be unwilling to work with a Weah presidency that features Jewel Howard-Taylor as the vice president. Howard-Taylor is the ex-wife of the now jailed former president Charles Taylor.

Leaders of African countries such as Guinea, Burkina Faso, and the Ivory Coast, Somalia, Kenya, Burundi, and Nigeria also sent out congratulatory messages.

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, December 30, congratulated Weah on his victory and commended the Liberian people “on the peaceful conduct of the historic presidential runoff election.”

Buhari called Tuesday’s vote “another plus on Africa’s democratic scoreboard.”

The Nigerian president also said that he is ready to work with Liberia on issues of mutual interest and called Weah’s victory “an affirmation of the will of the Liberian people to remain united, peaceful and prosperous.”

Uhuru Kenyatta, the Kenyan president, was one of the first to tweet his well wishes, although his message was attacked by many Kenyans who called on him to make it easier for Kenyans to also participate in violence-free elections.

Kenyatta said Weah’s excellence and persistence have now won him the leadership of his people, adding, “Kenya sends its very best wishes to him and his administration – we look forward to closer ties in the years ahead.”

Kenyatta was followed by Burundi’s Pierre Nkurunziza, who described Weah as a motivation to Burundi and Africa.

Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed of Somalia also chimed in, saying, “Somalia wishes you success in your endeavors, we look forward to close cooperation and partnership.”

Roch Marc Kabore of Burkina Faso congratulated Weah on winning the Liberian presidential election, tweeting, “Wishing you and Liberian people all the best.”

On Wednesday, January 3, the president-elect’s office issued a press release compiling the various governments and regional bodies that had sent congratulations to Weah, including the United Kingdom, Ghana, South Africa, Niger, the European Union, the African Union, and ECOWAS.

World leaders were not the only ones congratulating Weah, several football legends have done so as well.

Notable among them is the former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba from neighboring Ivory Coast who took to Twitter to express his excitement over the election, saying, “Thank you Mr. President.” Fellow Ivorian and Manchester City star Yaya Toure also congratulated Weah on the win.

Weah’s former clubs, Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan, also expressed their pride on his election success.

Featured photo by Zeze Ballah