US elections: Finally, top Republican Mitch McConnell congratulates 'president-elect' Biden

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"The Electoral College has spoken. So today I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden," McConnell said on the Senate floor.

"Many of us hoped that the presidential election would yield a different result, but our system of government has processes to determine who will be sworn in on January 20," he added.

"I also want to congratulate the vice president-elect, our colleague from California, Senator (Kamala) Harris," he said, adding that "all Americans can take pride that they will have a female VP for the first time."

The US Electoral College had declared Biden the winner in the US elections held on November 3 with a 306 to 232 margin over President Trump.Mitch McConnell had stridently refused to recognise the Democratic presidential candidate as the winner in the US elections held last month.

Trump is also yet to concede defeat although he allowed the transition to take place even as Biden in a speech said US democracy proved "resilient" against Trump's "abuse of power" while adding that "it's time to turn the page".

"The flame of democracy was lit in this nation a long time ago. And we now know nothing, not even a pandemic or an abuse of power can extinguish that," Biden said.

"Our democracy -- pushed, tested, threatened -- proved to be resilient, true, and strong."

"I'm convinced we can work together for the good of the nation," Biden added.

Trump had alleged that the elections were marred with fraud, a claim he hasn't been in able to prove even as he moved courts to prove the verdict was wrong a move which was roundly dismissed by various judges.