Ethiopian PM congratulates S. Africa's Ramaphosa on ANC presidency

ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on Tuesday congratulated Cyril Ramaphosa on his election as the incoming president of South Africa's ruling party African National Congress (ANC).

The ANC on Monday elected Ramaphosa to be the party's president for the next five years.

Desalegn, who conveyed the message on behalf of the Ethiopian people and his party the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), also expressed his high hopes that the relations between the two African countries would further strengthen.

According to Desalegn, South Africa's strong democratic background would be considered as a model for fellow African countries in their efforts toward democratization and economic development.

The Ethiopian prime minister also expressed hopes that the ties between Ethiopia's ruling party EPRDF and South Africa's ANC "would elevate into a new high during Ramaphosa's term."

Ramaphosa who is the party's and country's deputy president had a tight contest with the former African Union (AU) Commission chairperson, Nkosazan Dlamini-Zuma, for the ANC president position.

South Africa will hold the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2019. Enditem