World Bulletin / News Desk

Several Arab leaders on Tuesday congratulated Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi after being officially declared Egypt's new president with more than 23.7 million valid votes.

"Congratulations on the precious trust given to you by the brotherly people of Egypt in facing the challenges they are experiencing, and to achieve their aspirations and ambitions in stability, development, progress, prosperity, pride and dignity," United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed wrote in a message to Sisi.

Egypt's electoral commission has declared the former army chief Egypt's president after receiving some 23.7 million valid votes in last week's election.

Commission head Judge Anwar al-Asi said that 25,578,223 out of some 54 million eligible voters had cast their ballots in the polls with a voter turnout of 47.45 percent.

Al-Sisi secured 23,780,104 out of 24,537,615 valid votes or nearly 97 percent of the total, al-Asi announced at a press conference in Cairo.

Al-Sisi's sole competitor, leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabahi, received a meager 757,511 votes, representing 3.9 percent of the total valid votes.

Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has earlier congratulated president-elect al-Sisi and called for a donor conference to support the Egyptian economy.

"We congratulate you on the confidence of the Egyptian people, who entrusted you with their hopes, aspirations and dreams of a better future," he said in a cable to al-Sisi.

Similar cables of congratulations were sent by Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jabir Al-Sabah, his Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jabir and Prime Minister Sheikh Jabir Al-Mubarak.

President-elect al-Sisi also received similar congratulations from Bahraini King Hamad bin Essa, Yemeni President Abd Rabo Mansur and Moroccan King Mohammed VI.

Jordanian King Abdullah II, meanwhile, phoned al-Sisi to congratulate him on his landslide victory.

US WELCOMES SISI ELECTION

The United States said on Wednesday it looked forward to working with former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as Egypt's president but expressed concerns about the "restrictive political environment" in which he was elected.

The United States was pleased that international observers were allowed to participate, it said.

"As Egypt looks toward parliamentary elections later this year, we urge the government to consider the recommendations of the observer groups on ways to improve the administration of future elections," it said.

"We urge the President-elect and the government to adopt the reforms that are needed to govern with accountability and transparency, ensure justice for every individual, and demonstrate a commitment to the protection of the universal rights of all Egyptians."