One of the world's only female presidents dispenses with diplomacy in reaction to Trump victory

Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says she is 'extremely saddened' by Hillary Clinton's defeat

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf speaks to the press with then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton following a bilateral meeting on 15 January 2013 in Washington, DC (Getty Images)

While the vast majority of world leaders have met Donald Trump's victory with a measured, diplomatic response, Africa’s first elected female president has refused to mince her words.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the President of Liberia, said she was “extremely saddened” by Hillary Clinton’s defeat at the hands of the Republican, and “concerned” about the prospects of US relations with African countries.

Ms Johnson Sirleaf was elected President as Liberia emerged from a 14-year civil war. She began her second term in 2012, and Ms Clinton attended that inauguration in her then-role as Secretary of State.

“We are extremely saddened by this missed opportunity on the part of the people of the United States to join smaller democracies in ending the marginalisation of women,” Ms Johnson Sirleaf said in an interview with the BBC on Wednesday.

Liberia has a had close ties with the US throughout its history, as it was founded in the 19th century by freed American slaves.

But Ms Johnson Sirleaf said: “We are concerned as to whether President-elect Trump will have an African agenda, will be able to build bridges with Africa. We can only hope that he will do so in due course.

“I'm worried about trade deals for Liberia, for Africa. I'm worried about investment and the special programmes that have been put in place by President Obama and by President George Bush before him, and we just don't know what the policy towards Africa will be.”

Most world leaders have congratulated Mr Trump, some more exuberantly than others.

And they include most of the tiny number of female presidents and prime ministers around the world, who may have been hoping to see a significant addition to their ranks in Tuesday’s election.

What have other female world leaders said?

Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg congratulated Donald Trump, saying: "The US is our closest ally. It is decisive that we continue the cooperation.”

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said simply: “The people of the US have made a decision, we will respect their choice."

South Korean President Park Geun-hye had in a 10-minute telephone conversation with Mr Trump in which, according to Korean media, the President-elect promised to maintain American readiness to help guard against any aggression from North Korea.

There were no lines on what Ms Park said to Mr Trump, but Yonhap’s report - that he agreed “100 per cent” with her hopes the two allies will further bolster their ties - suggests it was convivial.

Angela Merkel issued a carefully-worded statement congratulating Mr Trump on his victory.

A German government spokesman says the pair could meet before the G7 meeting in Italy in May.

But in congratulating him, Ms Merkel nonetheless felt compelled to set out certain conditions for future cooperation.

She said: “Germany and America are connected by values of democracy, freedom and respect for the law and the dignity of man, independent of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views. I offer the next President of the United States close cooperation on the basis of these values.”

Britain’s Theresa May congratulated Mr Trump, saying the two countries will remain "strong and close partners on trade, security and defence."

She said Trump had won after "a hard-fought campaign”, and stressed the enduring trans-Atlantic "special relationship, based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise”.

And finally, Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine was able to remain diplomatic despite the very real threat Mr Trump poses to the very existence of her country.

Most of the 1,000 or so Marshall Islands are less than six feet above sea level — and could disappear under rising sea levels unless (possibly even if) global warming can be limited to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

Mr Trump has said he wants to “cancel” the Paris Agreement designed to do just that.

But Ms Heine is hopeful. She said that she "expects he will realise that climate change is a threat to his people and to whole countries which share seas with the US”.

Additional reporting by agencies