塞内加尔选举被认为非洲的榜样

Senegal's presidential election has been hailed as a "great victory for democracy" in Africa.

塞内加尔的总统选举被认为是非洲“民主政治的重大胜利”。

President Abdoulaye Wade¹ has accepted that he was defeated by Macky Sall in Sunday's run-off.

The African Union said Mr Wade's concession²（让步，特许） showed "maturity³" in the country's democracy while the European Union called Senegal a "great example".

Mr Sall addressed thousands of cheering supporters in the capital, Dakar.

He promised to be a president for all Senegalese people.

The president-elect, 50, said the poll marks a "new era" for the country.

His rival's bid for a third term in office, after 12 years in power, sparked violent protests which left six people dead.

Official results from Sunday's election are expected within two days.

A spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said it was "a great victory for democracy in Senegal and in Africa", reports the AFP news agency.

"Senegal is a great example for Africa," he added.

AU Commission chairman Jean Ping said the peaceful conduct of the presidential elections "proved that Africa, despite its challenges, continues to register significant progress towards democracy and transparent⁴ elections".

Earlier, President Nicolas Sarkozy of Senegal's former colonial ruler, France, said the peaceful election was "good news for Africa in general and for Senegal in particular".

"Senegal is a major African country and a model of democracy," he said.

The election comes just days after a military coup⁵ in neighbouring Mali.

Senegal remains⁶ the only country in West Africa to have never undergone a coup.

Mr Wade "phoned his rival Macky Sall at 21:30 GMT [on Sunday] to congratulate him after the first results showed him to be the winner of a presidential run-off," the Senegalese Press Agency said.

Even before Mr Wade's concession, thousands of Sall supporters began celebrating on the streets of Dakar.