CAPE TOWN and ACCRA, Jul 11 - "We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans,"
U.S. president Barrack Obama told Ghana's parliament. And the keys to that future, as outlined in his speech, include democratic elections, accountability, good governance and strong institutions.
Excitement was high in Ghana during the week leading up to Obama's brief visit to Accra, his first to sub-Saharan Africa. Posters and a billboard juxtaposing the U.S. president's face with that of Ghanaian president John Atta Mills sprang up, and enterprising traders were selling Obama-themed paintings, cups and fabric printed with the president's face.
Previous visits by U.S. leaders had drawn huge crowds, and there was some disappointment when a late decision over security led to Obama's key address being shifted from Independence Square, where Bill Clinton addressed an enormous crowd in 2002, to the more restricted surroundings of the Accra International Convention Centre. But his message - celebrating Ghana's success with elections and the economy, calling for Africans to take hold of their destiny in the 21st century - was well received. Obama said his administration will work to strengthen Africa.
"What we will do is increase assistance for responsible individuals and institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance - on parliaments, which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard; on the rule of law, which ensures the equal administration of justice; on civic participation, so that young people get involved; and on concrete solutions to corruption like forensic accounting, automating services, strengthening hot lines and protecting whistle-blowers to advance transparency and accountability," he said.
Africa, yes we can.
Ghana will join the ranks of African oil producers next year, and Obama cautioned that this resource will need to be handled carefully, because dependence on export of a single commodity has been a trap for African countries in the past. "As so many Ghanaians know, oil cannot simply become the new cocoa. "From South Korea to Singapore, history shows that countries thrive when they invest in their people and in their infrastructure; when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled workforce, and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs."
The U.S. president spoke of the need for a changed relationship between the Rich World and Africa. "Now, America can also do more to promote trade and investment. Wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from Africa in a meaningful way. That will be a commitment of my administration. "And where there is good governance, we can broaden prosperity through public-private partnerships that invest in better roads and electricity; capacity-building that trains people to grow a business; financial services that reach not just the cities but also the poor and rural areas. "This is also in our own interests - for if people are lifted out of poverty and wealth is created in Africa, guess what? New markets will open up for our own goods. So it's good for both." (...)
If a new relationship between Africa and the United States is to take shape, along lines of "mutual responsibility and mutual respect" as Obama described it, Africa should take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the present U.S. administration while continuing to ask the hard questions.
Excitement was high in Ghana during the week leading up to Obama's brief visit to Accra, his first to sub-Saharan Africa. Posters and a billboard juxtaposing the U.S. president's face with that of Ghanaian president John Atta Mills sprang up, and enterprising traders were selling Obama-themed paintings, cups and fabric printed with the president's face.
Previous visits by U.S. leaders had drawn huge crowds, and there was some disappointment when a late decision over security led to Obama's key address being shifted from Independence Square, where Bill Clinton addressed an enormous crowd in 2002, to the more restricted surroundings of the Accra International Convention Centre. But his message - celebrating Ghana's success with elections and the economy, calling for Africans to take hold of their destiny in the 21st century - was well received. Obama said his administration will work to strengthen Africa.
"What we will do is increase assistance for responsible individuals and institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance - on parliaments, which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard; on the rule of law, which ensures the equal administration of justice; on civic participation, so that young people get involved; and on concrete solutions to corruption like forensic accounting, automating services, strengthening hot lines and protecting whistle-blowers to advance transparency and accountability," he said.
Africa, yes we can.
Ghana will join the ranks of African oil producers next year, and Obama cautioned that this resource will need to be handled carefully, because dependence on export of a single commodity has been a trap for African countries in the past. "As so many Ghanaians know, oil cannot simply become the new cocoa. "From South Korea to Singapore, history shows that countries thrive when they invest in their people and in their infrastructure; when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled workforce, and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs."
The U.S. president spoke of the need for a changed relationship between the Rich World and Africa. "Now, America can also do more to promote trade and investment. Wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from Africa in a meaningful way. That will be a commitment of my administration. "And where there is good governance, we can broaden prosperity through public-private partnerships that invest in better roads and electricity; capacity-building that trains people to grow a business; financial services that reach not just the cities but also the poor and rural areas. "This is also in our own interests - for if people are lifted out of poverty and wealth is created in Africa, guess what? New markets will open up for our own goods. So it's good for both." (...)
If a new relationship between Africa and the United States is to take shape, along lines of "mutual responsibility and mutual respect" as Obama described it, Africa should take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the present U.S. administration while continuing to ask the hard questions.