World hopes for renewed co-operation under new US president Joe Biden
President-elect Joe Biden gestures as he arrives for his inauguration. Picture: AP
Leaders across the globe have welcomed the arrival of US President Joe Biden and the end of the often confrontational presidency of Donald Trump.
Many expressed hope that Mr Biden would right the world’s largest democracy two weeks after they watched rioters storm the US Capitol, shaking the faith of those fighting for democracy in their own countries.
Governments targeted and sanctioned under Mr Trump embraced the chance for a fresh start with Mr Biden, while some heads of state who lauded Mr Trump’s blend of nationalism and populism were more restrained in their expectations for the Biden administration – and in some cases spoke nostalgically of the Trump years.
But a chance to repair frayed alliances and work together to address problems extending beyond any one country’s borders carried the day.
Mr Biden “understands the value and the importance of multilateralism. He understands the importance of co-operation among nations”, said former Colombian president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan Manuel Santos, who left office in 2018.
“As a matter of fact, if we don’t co-operate – all nations – to fight climate change, then we will all perish. It’s as simple as that,” Mr Santos said.
French President Emmanuel Macron also noted the urgency of addressing the perils the world faces from climate change after Mr Trump withdrew the US from the Paris climate accord, a move Mr Biden was to reverse in the first hours of his presidency.
With Mr Biden, “we will be stronger to face the challenges of our time. Stronger to build our future. Stronger to protect our planet”, he wrote on Twitter.
“Welcome back to the Paris Agreement!” Elsewhere in Europe, close US allies finally saw a chance to come in out of the cold after strained security and economic relationships with the Trump administration.
“This new dawn in America is the moment we’ve been awaiting for so long,” said European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, hailing Mr Biden’s arrival as “resounding proof that, once again after four long years, Europe has a friend in the White House”.
European Council president Charles Michel said transatlantic relations have “greatly suffered in the last four years. In these years, the world has grown more complex, less stable and less predictable”.
“We have our differences and they will not magically disappear. America seems to have changed, and how it’s perceived in Europe and the rest of the world has also changed,” added Mr Michel, whose open criticism of the Trump era contrasted with the silence that mostly reigned in Europe while the Republican leader was in the White House.
In Germany, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier issued a video statement, calling Mr Biden’s inauguration a “good day for democracy”.
“Despite the attempts to tear at America’s institutional fabric, election workers and governors, the judiciary and Congress have proven strong,” he said.
With Mr Biden and vice president Kamala Harris, Mr Steinmeier said the US would again be a “vital partner” to tackle issues such as the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, security issues including arms control and disarmament, and multiple conflicts.
Pope Francis urged Mr Biden to help foster reconciliation in the US and build up a society “marked by authentic justice and freedom” and looking out especially for the poor.
The “grave crises” facing all of humanity call for farsighted responses, Francis said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who formed close ties with Mr Trump, noted a “warm personal friendship” with Mr Biden.
“I look forward to working with you to further strengthen the US-Israel alliance, to continue expanding peace between Israel and the Arab world and to confront common challenges, chief among them the threat posed by Iran,” Mr Netanyahu said.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, whose country has had a tumultuous relationship with Washington, having been criticised for aiding the Afghan Taliban, said in a tweet he looked forward to building a stronger partnership through trade, economic engagement and countering climate change.
In Latin America, Mr Biden faces immediate challenges on immigration and the leaders of the two most populous countries – Brazil and Mexico – were chummy with Mr Trump.
The Trump administration also took a hard line against governments in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, expanding painful sanctions.
In Venezuela, the government of President Nicolas Maduro urged a renewed dialogue with the Biden administration, while hoping the incoming president abandons the avalanche of damaging sanctions Mr Trump imposed to attempt a regime change.
However, retired accountant Jesus Sanchez, 79, said he was disappointed to see Mr Trump leave power.
Mr Trump backed opposition leader Juan Guaido, giving Venezuelans like him hope that Mr Maduro’s days in power were numbered.
An estimated five million Venezuelans have migrated out of the South American nation in recent years, fleeing shortages of food, medicine and basic services such as running water and petrol, despite sitting on the world’s largest crude reserves.
Carlos Vecchio, Mr Guaido’s envoy in Washington who the US recognises as Venezuela’s ambassador, tweeted photos of himself standing in front of the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday.
The invitation to attend was touted by Venezuela’s opposition as evidence the Biden administration will continue its strong support and resist entreaties by Mr Maduro to engage in dialogue that the US has strenuously rejected until now.
Cuba’s leaders perhaps have a more realistic hope for improved relations.
After all, Mr Biden was in the White House for the historic thaw in relations in 2014.
Various officials said they were willing to reopen a dialogue with Washington if there was respect for Cuba’s sovereignty.
President Miguel Diaz-Canel railed against Mr Trump via Twitter, citing “more than 200 measures that tightened the financial, commercial and economic blockade, the expression of a despicable and inhuman policy”.
In Mexico, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who cultivated an unexpectedly friendly relationship with Mr Trump and was one of the last world leaders to recognise Mr Biden’s victory, read from a letter he sent to Mr Biden in 2012, calling for a reorienting of the bilateral relationship away from security and military aid and towards development.
He urged Mr Biden to implement immigration reform, and added: “We need to maintain a very good relationship with the United States government and I don’t have any doubt that it’s going to be that way.” Main 21:30 20 Jan 2021 USElection Joe Biden sworn in as he replaces Donald Trump as US president Joe Biden declared that “democracy has prevailed” after he was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.
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