Leaders from around the world react as the transfer of power takes place in Washington, DC.
Joe Biden is due to be sworn in as president of the United States, following his election victory over Donald Trump last year.
Here are some of the global responses to Wednesday’s transfer of power in Washington, DC. This list will be updated as more reactions from leaders around the world pour in.

United Kingdom

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he looks forward to working with the incoming president.
“I look forward to working with him [Biden], and with his new administration, strengthening the partnership between our countries and working on our shared priorities: From tackling climate change, building back better from the pandemic and strengthening our transatlantic security,” Johnson said.

Germany

In a video statement, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Biden taking the helm was a “good day for democracy”.
“In the United States of America, it [democracy] has faced tremendous challenges – and endured. Despite the attempts to tear at America’s institutional fabric, election workers and governors, the judiciary and Congress, have proven strong,” he said.

European Union

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the US was “back”.
“Europe stands ready. To reconnect with an old and trusted partner,” she wrote on Twitter.

Italy

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said he was “looking forward” to working with the Biden presidency.
“We have a strong common agenda, ranging from the effective multilateralism that we both want to see to climate change, green and digital transition and social inclusion,” Conte said.

Iran

President Hassan Rouhani hailed the departure of “tyrant” Trump, who in 2018 reimposed punishing sanctions against Iran following Washington’s unilateral decision to withdraw from a landmark nuclear deal signed between Tehran and world powers in 2015.
A “tyrant’s era came to an end and today is the final day of his ominous reign,” Rouhani said.
“We expect [the Biden administration] to return to law and to commitments, and try in the next four years, if they can, to remove the stains of the past four years.”

NATO

NATO said it hoped to boost transatlantic ties under Biden.
“We look forward to working with President-elect Joe Biden to further strengthen ties between the United States and Europe, as we face global challenges none of us can tackle alone,” the military alliance’s chief Jens Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter.

Russia

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia will seek “good relations with the United States”, but whether or not the latter works towards the same goal will “depend on Mr Biden and his team”.
Peskov said President Vladimir Putin has “consistently” advocated for the preservation of a landmark nuclear weapons treaty and it was now up to Washington to preserve the pact.

France

French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said Biden’s commitments to rejoin the World Health Organization (WHO) – which leads the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic – and the Paris climate treaty are “extremely important” following Trump’s exit from them.
“We are impatient to build with President Biden a strong, useful and renewed relationship,” Attal said after a cabinet meeting. “We have aims and colossal challenges to take together.”

Spain

The spokesman for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said: “Biden’s victory represents the victory of democracy over the extreme right.
“Five years ago, we believed without [a] doubt that Trump was a bad joke. Five years later, we realise that he endangered the world’s most powerful democracy.”

Mexico

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he shared Joe Biden’s policy priorities and wished him success ahead of his inauguration.
“I agree with his three main approaches … (tackling the) pandemic, economic reactivation and migration. And of course, wishing that President Biden does very well in his administration,” he told reporters.
Lopez Obrador added that he hoped for a smooth and peaceful inauguration ceremony for the Democrat.


SOURCE : https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/20/biden-becomes-president-how-the-world-reacted