Luanda - Angolan President and African Union Chairperson João Lourenço sent a message Tuesday congratulating the winner of Saturday's presidential elections in the Republic of Gabon, Brice Oligui Nguema.

According to the social media page of the Presidency of the Republic, in the message addressed to Brice Oligui Nguema, the President conveyed "on behalf of the Government and the Angolan people, warm and fraternal congratulations on his election as President of the Republic of Gabon, following the presidential elections of April 12.

In the message, Lourenço highlighted "the political maturity and the enormous civic sense shown by the Gabonese people during the process, which extends to all political actors and civil society in general for their patriotic spirit, further strengthening social cohesion."

President João Lourenço said he was "firmly convinced that the election to the highest office in the land represents a great achievement for the Gabonese people, which will re-launch the foundations of economic and social development, strengthen the consolidation of political and democratic institutions, and also mark an important stage in the return to constitutional normality, in accordance with the Constitutive Charter of the African Union".

In this context, "I express our best wishes for the success of your noble mission and reiterate my full willingness to work together to strengthen the bilateral relations between our two countries, maximizing the comparative advantages offered by our respective economies and cooperating closely in building consensus positions on matters of common interest in the regional and international organizations to which we are States Parties". SC/AMP