• Our products
  • Trend Media Service
  • News terminal

Media service

  • Trend Media Service

For clients

  • How to subscribe
  • Instant paid access
  • Support service

Ads placement

  • Banner platforms on the website

Company

  • About company
  • Vacancies

Communications

  • Reference
  • Achievements

Trend in social networks

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Telegram
  • RSS
  • IOS
  • Android

Our services

  • Trend News Terminal
  • Trend Daily News
  • Caspian Oil & Gas Trend’s
  • Monthly Azerbaijan Business Monitoring
  • Weekly Azerbaijan Business Monitorings
  • Caspian, Turkey Building & Logistics Monitoring
  • Azerbaijan Energy Projects Review
  • Trend Banking Analytics
  • Iran Energy Economy Review
  • Central Asia Economic Business Monitoring
  • Weekly Tenders Report
  • Azerbaijan non-oil Review
  • Azerbaijan Monthly IСT Monitoring
  • Regional Finances

Media

  • Trend Politics
  • Trend Society
  • Trend Economy
  • Trend Energy
  • Trend ICT
  • Trend Tourism
  • Trend Culture

Contacts

  • Bakhtiyar Vahabzade Str., 14, Baku, Azerbaijan, AZ1141.
  • sales@trend.az
  • + 994 12 437-12-68
ORDER TRIAL VERSION
  • RU
  • AZ
  • EN
  • TR
  • FA
  • Login
  • Sign up
Trend.Az
  • Latest
  • Azerbaijan
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
    • Society
    • Other News
  • Business
    • Oil&Gas
    • ICT
    • Economy news
    • Tenders
    • Tourism
  • Iran
    • Nuclear Program
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Society
  • Central Asia
    • Kyrgyzstan
    • Kazakhstan
    • Turkmenistan
    • Tajikistan
    • Uzbekistan
  • South Caucasus
    • Armenia
    • Georgia
  • World
    • Turkey
    • Europe
    • US
    • Russia
    • Israel
    • China
    • Arab World
    • Other News
  • Analysis
  • Latest
  • Azerbaijan
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
    • Society
    • Other News
  • Business
    • Oil&Gas
    • ICT
    • Economy news
    • Tenders
    • Tourism
  • Iran
    • Nuclear Program
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Society
  • Central Asia
    • Kyrgyzstan
    • Kazakhstan
    • Turkmenistan
    • Tajikistan
    • Uzbekistan
  • South Caucasus
    • Armenia
    • Georgia
  • World
    • Turkey
    • Europe
    • US
    • Russia
    • Israel
    • China
    • Arab World
    • Other News
  • Analysis
  • Trend Photo
  • Home
  • World
  • Other News

Obama speaks of hopes for Africa

12 July 2009 00:04 (UTC+04:00)
  • 0
  • 0

US President Barack Obama, on his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa since taking office, has said Africa must take charge of its own destiny in the world, BBC reported.

Mr Obama told parliament in Ghana during his one-day stay that good governance was vital for development.

Major challenges awaited Africans in the new century, he said, but vowed that the US would help the continent.

The US president's trip comes at the end of a summit of eight of the world's most powerful nations, held in Italy.

Ghana was chosen as the destination for the president's visit because of its strong democratic record.

After his speech, Mr Obama headed to Cape Coast Castle, a seaside fortress converted to the slave trade by the British in the 17th Century. He was accompanied by his wife, Michelle, a descendant of African slaves, and both of his young daughters.

People crowded into a public area outside the fort to greet Mr Obama, with those unable to get a place in the throng climbing onto nearby roofs and filling balconies just to catch a glimpse of the US leader.

Speaking after his visit, Mr Obama said the fort should be a source of hope as well as repository of painful memories.

"It reminds us that as bad as history can be, it's always possible to overcome," he said.


A little earlier, Mr Obama spoke to members of parliament after a breakfast meeting with Ghanaian President John Atta Mills.

He wore a broad grin as he was greeted at the podium by a series of rousing horn blasts from within the hall.

"Congress needs one of them," Mr Obama joked, before turning to more serious matters.

"I have come here to Ghana for a simple reason," the US president said: "The 21st Century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Ghana as well."

Delivering a message that "Africa's future is up to Africans", Mr Obama conceded that the legacy of colonialism had helped breed conflict on the continent.

"But the West is not responsible for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants," he added.

He praised Ghana's own progress, governance and economic growth, saying Ghana's achievements were less dramatic than the liberation struggles of the 20th Century but would ultimately be more significant.

"Development depends upon good governance," Mr Obama told legislators. "That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long.

"And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans."

Expanding on his message, Mr Obama said four key areas were critical to the future of Africa and of the entire developing world, citing democracy, opportunity, health and the peaceful resolution of conflict.

He hailed Ghana's democratic society, calling for strong parliaments, honest police, independent judges and a free press across Africa.

However, there were some blunt words directed at other countries, many of which have been undermined by despotic leaders and corrupt politicians.

"Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions," Mr Obama told his audience.

"No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny."

He pledged to continue strong US support for public healthcare initiatives in Africa, and called for sensible use of natural resources such as oil in the face of the threat of climate change.

"Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at war," Mr Obama added. "But for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. He described wars as a "millstone around Africa's neck".

"You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people," Mr Obama said, describing freedom as Africa's "inheritance" and urging the continent to beat disease, end conflict and bring long-lasting change.

In an echo of his presidential election campaign, he drew his speech to a close with a version of his trademark slogan: "Yes you can," he told the gathered legislators.

Speaking to the BBC, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga welcomed the speech.

"We should stop blaming colonialism for our under-development. We really need to address issues of governance, because I believe it is the mediocrity with which Africa has been governed that is responsible for our backwardness today."

Mr Obama arrived in the capital late on Friday, fresh from the G8 summit in Italy where heads of state agreed on a $20bn (£12.3bn) fund to bolster agriculture - the main source of income for many sub-Saharan Africans.

Follow Trend on Telegram. Only most interesting and important news

Azernews Newspaper
Category news
Korean leaders to meet in demilitarized zone early Friday
Other News 07:36
A North Korean nuclear test site is reportedly unusable
Other News 06:33
Macron: Trump will exit Iran nuclear deal in may
Europe 02:23
Report: Armed gunman attacks Iranian Interests Section in Washington
Iran 01:56
PM: Turkey still facing terrorist threat
Turkey 25 April 16:16
Afghan authorities have no Taliban’s response on offer to launch talks
Other News 25 April 12:29
Turkish General staff talks liquidated terrorists in Northern Iraq
Turkey 25 April 11:37
Russia says expects to sign deal with India on S-400 missiles sale
Russia 25 April 11:30
At least 10 killed, 19 injured as oil well catches fire in Indonesia
Other News 25 April 08:36
Sixteen people killed in Nigerian church attack: police
Other News 25 April 04:29
Feast of goals as Liverpool beat Roma 5-2 at Anfield (VIDEO)
Other News 25 April 01:50
Peru poverty rate rises for first time in 16 years: government
Other News 24 April 23:32
Arab companies show great interest in Turkey
Economy news 24 April 17:58
Philippines apologizes to Kuwait for sovereignty violation over ‘rescue’ of workers
Arab World 24 April 17:55
SZ: European countries and US agree on conditions for maintaining Iran's nuclear deal
Nuclear Program 24 April 15:31
Oil tops $75, highest since 2014 OPEC meeting that led to pump war
Oil&Gas 24 April 15:31
Canada Israel investing £100m in London property
Israel 24 April 12:49
Two killed in a plane crash near a military air base in Tunisia's Sfax: TAP
Other News 24 April 08:23
Most popular
Russian Embassy in Yerevan to strengthen security measures in connection with protests
Russian Embassy in Yerevan to strengthen security measures in connection with protests
Iran, Russia discuss progress in joint nuclear projects
Azerbaijani defense minister to pay official visit to China
IGB ,TAP two very important strategic projects for region – Greek minister
Commentary
Sargsyan should stand int'l tribunal for his crimes: MP

Sargsyan should stand int'l tribunal for his crimes: MP

Sargsyan must answer to international tribunal: expert
The “Armenian genocide” – still stuck in Wonderland
In case of sanctions against Turkey, US to suffer greater losses – expert
Trend.Az
  • About
  • Our Team
  • Our products
  • Trend Media Service
  • Info Service
  • News archive
Contacts
14, Bakhtiyar Vahabzade, Baku, Azerbaijan, AZ1141
+(994 12) 497-31-72
news@trend.az
+(994 12) 497-30-89
© 2018 Trend News Agency
Terms of use
  • counter