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Sunday, July 12, 2009
No More Excuses, Obama Tells African Leaders
- Says: 'I See Hope On The Continent'
President Barack Obama is hailing a "new moment of promise" in Africa, using a historic visit to urge all nations on the continent to establish their own identity in an increasingly interconnected world, according to Associated Press.
Speaking Saturday to the parliament of Ghana, Obama traced his own roots to the sub-continent. He declared: "I have the blood of Africa within me."
Obama, the first U.S. African-American president, said that Washington has for far too long seen the nations of Africa as patrons rather than partners in world affairs, and said it's time for that to change.,
But he also said the destiny of Africa is up to its people and their leaders. Obama said, "the boundaries between peoples are overwhelmed by our connections."
President Barack Obama said his visit to Ghana on Saturday was designed to illustrate that "Africa is not separate from world affairs."
Obama said events in Africa do not lose their effects at the continent's borders and said Africa is a fully integrated part of the global economy.
"What happens here has an impact everywhere," Obama said during a meeting with Ghanaian President John Atta Mills.
Obama scheduled a 21-hour visit to the West African nation to highlight that country's democratic tradition and engagement with the West. During his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa since taking office, Obama sought to lift up the continent of his ancestors - while keeping its emotions in check.
Greeted by a rush of excitement on his arrival in Accra, the United States' first black president planned a speech to Ghana's Parliament on Saturday outlining his hope for a future Africa prospering in democracy. He was also visiting a hospital and a one-time slave trading post, joined by his wife, Michelle, a great-great granddaughter of slaves.
But his speech was also pitched as a sobering account of Africa's enduring afflictions: hunger, disease, corruption, ethnic strife and strongman rule.
No big public event was planned - in part for fear it could cause a celebratory stampede, as a 1998 stop by President Bill Clinton almost did.
"I can say without any fear of contradiction that all Ghanaians want to see you. I wish it were possible for me to send you to every home in Ghana," Mills said, underscoring the U.S. first family's popularity that gave them Page One billing in many of the nation's newspapers.
People lined the streets Saturday morning, many waving at every vehicle of Obama's motorcade as it headed toward a meeting at Osu Castle, the storied coastline presidential state house. One woman emerged from a coffee shop to wave a tiny U.S. flag while others sold posters and T-shirts with Obama's picture. Many billboards lined the roads, including one that showed the president and his wife with the greeting, "Ghana loves you."
While the people of Ghana may be in a frenzy over Obama's visit, the president started his day with typical calm. Wearing a gray T-shirt and gym pants, he walked through the lobby of his hotel virtually unnoticed at 7:30 a.m. local time on his way to the downstairs gym for a morning workout.
A short time later, his motorcade left the hotel, passed under hovering military helicopters and arrived for a delayed welcome ceremony. Mills greeted his counterpart and then the pair went inside for one-on-one meetings.
Selecting Ghana as the starting point of his black Africa travels, the president sought to highlight a continental success story.
"We think that Ghana can be an extraordinary model for success throughout the continent," Obama told Mills before joining about 350 people for an outdoor breakfast at the castle.
Obama planned to highlight those successes during a midday speech, urging Africans to embrace a future of accountable leaders and open markets. To ensure a wide audience, the administration organized events for the public to watch video of Obama's speech at embassies and cultural centers across Africa.
But the speech was also a splash of cold water for Africans still nursing grievances over colonial rule.
"For many years we've made excuses about corruption or poor governance, (insisting) this was somehow the consequence of neocolonialism, or the West has been oppressive, or racism," he told AllAfrica.com last week. "I'm not a believer in excuses."
Those sentiments led Obama to avoid his father's native Kenya for this stop. Tensions in Kenya remain high after a disputed 2007 election and subsequent ethnic bloodshed.
Later in the day, Obama planned to tour Cape Coast Castle, a seaside fortress converted to the slave trade by the British in the 17th century. In its dungeons, thousands of shackled Africans huddled in squalor before being herded onto ships bound for America.
While Michelle Obama's great-great grandfather was a slave in South Carolina, his African origins are not known.
The castle visit mirrored ones paid by Clinton and George W. Bush to the slave-trading post of Goree Island, Senegal - with the added impact of Obama's mixed-race background and history-making election.
In Ghana, too, Obama followed in Clinton's footsteps. In 1998, a surging crowd cheered Clinton in Accra's Independence Square and toppled barricades after his speech. Clinton shouted, "Back up! Back up!", his Secret Service detail clearly frantic.
Bush's reception last year was less tumultuous, but equally warm. At a welcoming banquet, then-President John Kufuor noted huge increases in U.S. development aid and AIDS relief - and named a highway after Bush. Earlier, Bush hosted Kufuor at one of his few White House state dinners.
Obama on Saturday, however, tried for a lower profile.
"The president wanted to use this visit to shine a light on Ghana and on what it is doing so successfully rather than on him," Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters.
Even so, Obama said previous U.S. leaders' trips to the continent were weeklong tours but seldom integrated into their global travel. Obama said he wants to take an approach that shows Africa's ties to international policies.
Obama - son of a Kenyan father and white mother from Kansas - first toured Africa in 1992. The newly minted Harvard law school grad savored its sights, sounds and tastes. In "Dreams from My Father," he recalled running his hand over his father's burial plot. "I had sat at my father's grave and spoken to him through Africa's red soil," he wrote.
Obama flew to Ghana after the G-8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, approved a new $20 billion food security plan. It aims to help poor nations in Africa and elsewhere avert mass starvation during the global recession.
He also had a cordial first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI. In their half-hour private audience at the Vatican, the two reviewed Mideast peace and anti-poverty efforts, aides reported. They also discussed abortion and stem cell research at length, Benedict giving him a treatise on bioethics to read while flying here, the White House said.
Africa Needs Support Of the World, Says Atta-Mills
By Debo Oladimeji,
Reporting from Ghana
The President of Ghana, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills has urged the world to support Africa with strong economic policies; and provide increase access to aid that will assist disadvantaged countries. While responding to a speech by President Barack Obama of the United States in Accra, yesterday, Atta Mills, stated: "Ghana and Africa look to the world community. Mr. President we are living in difficult times. The world has experienced global financial crisis of enormous dimension. Its effect and effect on Ghana and Africa is becoming clearer. And more significant, these are in terms of lower growth and increased unemployment, threat to aid to reduce its remittances and uncertain commodity prices".
The Ghanaian leader, continued: "Our world is becoming more and more vulnerable to international crimes, especially drug trafficking and money laundering. It has eroded the concept of our sovereignty. Mr President, while globalization has facilitated the easy movement of international crimes from one jurisdiction to another, the impunity with which organised crime is committed in our part of the world raises yet another daunting
Africa Needs Support Of the World, Says Atts-Mills
By Debo Oladimeji reporting from Ghana
The President of Ghana, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills has urged the world to support Africa with strong economic policies; and provide increase access to aid that will assist disadvantaged countries. While responding to a speech by President Barack Obama of the United States in Accra, yesterday, Atta Mills, stated: "Ghana and Africa look to the world community. Mr. President we are living in difficult times. The world has experienced global financial crisis of enormous dimension. Its effect and effect on Ghana and Africa is becoming clearer. And more significant, these are in terms of lower growth and increased unemployment, threat to aid to reduce its remittances and uncertain commodity prices".
The Ghanaian leader, continued: "Our world is becoming more and more vulnerable to international crimes, especially drug trafficking and money laundering. It has eroded the concept of our sovereignty. Mr President, while globalization has facilitated the easy movement of international crimes from one jurisdiction to another, the impunity with which organised crime is committed in our part of the world raises yet another daunting challenge.
"We are impressed with the boldness and innovation with which you are addressing this crisis. We on our part will seek your support and collaboration as we attempt together with the rest of Africa to discover imaginative, deliberative way to deal with the impact of this crisis on us," he said.
Earlier, President Obama had urged African leaders to ensure the emergence of strong state institutions.
Sharing podium with the Ghanaian President, Obama said, "Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos, Kigali and Kinshasa, Harare and right here in Accra".
The American leader urged the youths to take up the challenges of building a vibrant democratic institution.
"In places like Ghana, young people make up over 75 percent population. You have the power to make your leaders accountable and to build an institution that will serve the people. You can serve in your community... to build new connection to the world. You can; because in this moment, history is on the moon. But these things can only be possible if all of you take responsibility for your future. There could be suffering and setback but l can promise you this:
"Ghana's freedom is in your hands. In a few years, we would look back to places like Accra and say this was the time when the promise was realized; when a new era of progress begins. This can be time when we witness the triumph of justice. America will be with you and together we shall build a better world."
challenge.
"We are impressed with the boldness and innovation with which you are addressing this crisis. We on our part will seek your support and collaboration as we attempt together with the rest of Africa to discover imaginative, deliberative way to deal with the impact of this crisis on us," he said.
Earlier, President Obama had urged African leaders to ensure the emergence of strong state institutions.
Sharing podium with the Ghanaian President, Obama said, "Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos, Kigali and Kinshasa, Harare and right here in Accra".
The American leader urged the youths to take up the challenges of building a vibrant democratic institution.
"In places like Ghana, young people make up over 75 percent population. You have the power to make your leaders accountable and to build an institution that will serve the people. You can serve in your community... to build new connection to the world. You can; because in this moment, history is on the moon. But these things can only be possible if all of you take responsibility for your future. There could be suffering and setback but l can promise you this:
"Ghana's freedom is in your hands. In a few years, we would look back to places like Accra and say this was the time when the promise was realized; when a new era of progress begins. This can be time when we witness the triumph of justice. America will be with you and together we shall build a better world."
A Proclamation for Obama Nation: Do We Care If Ours Read, Write And Are 'Rithmetic?
ADELEKE ADEYEMI
"Like an athlete out of practice, a child who takes long breaks from learning can face academic setbacks." So begins the highly inspiring Proclamation issued "for immediate release" by the very athletic President of the United States of America declaring July 9 as his nation's National Summer Learning Day, 2009.
Vintage Obama, he's spot-on with his take on the matter at hand: "This problem is especially prominent during the summer, when students may lose more than two months of progress. Children must remain engaged to maintain and build upon their current academic achievement."
I actually felt an ache deep in my heart when he got to this point, seeing how it's so pat about the lot of the bulk of people in these parts, who would gladly have him for leader: "Learning loss can be especially pronounced among low-income children. Recent research suggests that unequal access to summer learning opportunities helps explain the achievement gap between low-income and affluent students. This gap ultimately means that low-income students may be less likely to graduate from secondary school or enroll in university."
Obama should know; he has so concerned himself with and been immersed so thoroughly with the process of social change and all dramatis personae involved he seems to have written the book on fixing society for good. "High-quality summer learning programs," claims he, "help children catch up, keep up, and work ahead. These activities provide students with hours of focused time for hands-on learning and creative projects. Participation can result in gains in writing, reading, and math skills.
He runs the whole gamut to arrive full-orbed. "Through the arts, sports, and other extracurricular activities, summer learning opportunities also promote innovation and physical fitness. These health benefits are especially important because childhood obesity is at an all-time high and children typically gain weight two to three times faster during the summer.
"Sustained public service can also dramatically impact summer learning loss. Students can challenge themselves and others through mentoring, environmental projects, and other meaningful volunteer work. Youth and their communities both benefit from these activities. Local opportunities for service abound."
Obama gets especially thrilling and most down-to-earth when he proclaims how "families and community members can play the most important role in the lives of their children. Demands at work and home mean that many parents have less time to spend with their children, but this time, care, and instruction is critical to children's academic success. Especially during the summer, parents should try to find time to read interactively with children. When possible, families should visit public libraries, tour museums and science centers, and explore the great outdoors. Parents can also encourage youth to keep a journal and to practice math skills through cooking and games. Even though summer has arrived, student learning needs do not take a vacation."
On Summer Learning Day, the people of the United States of America could rely on their attentive leader to "highlight the need for more young people to be challenged during their time off from school" and to "express support for local programs, communities, and families that help children grow through learning initiatives. Working together, we can help students remain engaged and return to school with lithe and limber minds." How I love that final phrase!
Indeed, Obama breasts the tape cleanly, well ahead of the pack; it is to hand the torch over to his people, blazing and bright: "I call upon all Americans to support students as they participate in summer learning. I encourage students, parents, educators, and the non-profit community to engage in summer learning activities so that youth return to school poised for academic advancement."
Obama signed his Proclamation on "this sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine..." -- invoking the name of the One who said, 'Let the children come to Me; do not hinder them"! Meanwhile, there's a 'Help Wanted' sign here clamouring for attention. Held out by tiny, trusted hands, it is weather-beaten and tear-streaked. It is as urgent as it is salient: 'Who will do it for us, too?'
- Adeyemi, a journalist and culture activist writes from Lagos
Text of Obama's speech in Ghana
Good morning. It is an honor for me to be in Accra, and to speak to the representatives of the people of Ghana. I am deeply grateful for the welcome that I've received, as are Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama. Ghana's history is rich, the ties between our two countries are strong, and I am proud that this is my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as President of the United States.
I am speaking to you at the end of a long trip. I began in Russia, for a Summit between two great powers. I traveled to Italy, for a meeting of the world's leading economies. And I have come here, to Ghana, for a simple reason: the 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra as well.
This is the simple truth of a time when the boundaries between people are overwhelmed by our connections. Your prosperity can expand America's. Your health and security can contribute to the world's. And the strength of your democracy can help advance human rights for people everywhere.
So I do not see the countries and peoples of Africa as a world apart; I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world - as partners with America on behalf of the future that we want for all our children. That partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility, and that is what I want to speak with you about today.
We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans.
I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family's own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story.
My grandfather was a cook for the British in Kenya, and though he was a respected elder in his village, his employers called him "boy" for much of his life. He was on the periphery of Kenya's liberation struggles, but he was still imprisoned briefly during repressive times. In his life, colonialism wasn't simply the creation of unnatural borders or unfair terms of trade - it was something experienced personally, day after day, year after year.
My father grew up herding goats in a tiny village, an impossible distance away from the American universities where he would come to get an education. He came of age at an extraordinary moment of promise for Africa. The struggles of his own father's generation were giving birth to new nations, beginning right here in Ghana. Africans were educating and asserting themselves in new ways. History was on the move.
But despite the progress that has been made - and there has been considerable progress in parts of Africa - we also know that much of that promise has yet to be fulfilled. Countries like Kenya, which had a per capita economy larger than South Korea's when I was born, have been badly outpaced. Disease and conflict have ravaged parts of the African continent. In many places, the hope of my father's generation gave way to cynicism, even despair.
It is easy to point fingers, and to pin the blame for these problems on others. Yes, a colonial map that made little sense bred conflict, and the West has often approached Africa as a patron, rather than a partner. 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. In my father's life, it was partly tribalism and patronage in an independent Kenya that for a long stretch derailed his career, and we know that this kind of corruption is a daily fact of life for far too many.
Of course, we also know that is not the whole story. Here in Ghana, you show us a face of Africa that is too often overlooked by a world that sees only tragedy or the need for charity. The people of Ghana have worked hard to put democracy on a firmer footing, with peaceful transfers of power even in the wake of closely contested elections. And with improved governance and an emerging civil society, Ghana's economy has shown impressive rates of growth.
This progress may lack the drama of the 20th century's liberation struggles, but make no mistake: it will ultimately be more significant. For just as it is important to emerge from the control of another nation, it is even more important to build one's own.
So I believe that this moment is just as promising for Ghana - and for Africa - as the moment when my father came of age and new nations were being born. This is a new moment of promise. Only this time, we have learned that it will not be giants like Nkrumah and Kenyatta who will determine Africa's future. Instead, it will be you - the men and women in Ghana's Parliament, and the people you represent. Above all, it will be the young people - brimming with talent and energy and hope - who can claim the future that so many in my father's generation never found.
To realize that promise, we must first recognize a fundamental truth that you have given life to in Ghana: development depends upon good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That is the change that can unlock Africa's potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans.
As for America and the West, our commitment must be measured by more than just the dollars we spend. I have pledged substantial increases in our foreign assistance, which is in Africa's interest and America's. But the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of aid that helps people scrape by - it is whether we are partners in building the capacity for transformational change.
This mutual responsibility must be the foundation of our partnership. And today, I will focus on four areas that are critical to the future of Africa and the entire developing world: democracy; opportunity; health; and the peaceful resolution of conflict.
First, we must support strong and sustainable democratic governments.
As I said in Cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: governments that respect the will of their own people are more prosperous, more stable and more successful than governments that do not.
This is about more than holding elections - it's also about what happens between them. Repression takes many forms, and too many nations are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top, or the head of the port authority is corrupt. 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, and now is the time for it to end.
In the 21st century, capable, reliable and transparent institutions are the key to success - strong parliaments and honest police forces; independent judges and journalists; a vibrant private sector and civil society. Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in peoples' lives.
Time and again, Ghanaians have chosen Constitutional rule over autocracy, and shown a democratic spirit that allows the energy of your people to break through. We see that in leaders who accept defeat graciously, and victors who resist calls to wield power against the opposition. We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth. We see it in police like Patience Quaye, who helped prosecute the first human trafficker in Ghana. We see it in the young people who are speaking up against patronage and participating in the political process.
Across Africa, we have seen countless examples of people taking control of their destiny and making change from the bottom up. We saw it in Kenya, where civil society and business came together to help stop postelection violence. We saw it in South Africa, where over three quarters of the country voted in the recent election - the fourth since the end of apartheid. We saw it in Zimbabwe, where the Election Support Network braved brutal repression to stand up for the principle that a person's vote is their sacred right.
Make no mistake: history is on the side of these brave Africans and not with those who use coups or change Constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.
America will not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation - the essential truth of democracy is that each nation determines its own destiny. 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.
As we provide this support, I have directed my administration to give greater attention to corruption in our human rights report. People everywhere should have the right to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. We have a responsibility to support those who act responsibly and to isolate those who don't, and that is exactly what America will do.
This leads directly to our second area of partnership - supporting development that provides opportunity for more people.
With better governance, I have no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base for prosperity. The continent is rich in natural resources. And from cell phone entrepreneurs to small farmers, Africans have shown the capacity and commitment to create their own opportunities. But old habits must also be broken. Dependence on commodities - or on a single export - concentrates wealth in the hands of the few and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns.
In Ghana, for instance, oil brings great opportunities, and you have been responsible in preparing for new revenue. But 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 infrastructure; when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled work force and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs.
As Africans reach for this promise, America will be more responsible in extending our hand. By cutting costs that go to Western consultants and administration, we will put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves. That is why our $3.5 billion food security initiative is focused on new methods and technologies for farmers - not simply sending American producers or goods to Africa. Aid is not an end in itself. The purpose of foreign assistance must be creating the conditions where it is no longer needed.
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. 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; and financial services that reach poor and rural areas. This is also in our own interest - for if people are lifted out of poverty and wealth is created in Africa, new markets will open for our own goods.
One area that holds out both undeniable peril and extraordinary promise is energy. Africa gives off less greenhouse gas than any other part of the world, but it is the most threatened by climate change. A warming planet will spread disease, shrink water resources and deplete crops, creating conditions that produce more famine and conflict. All of us - particularly the developed world - have a responsibility to slow these trends - through mitigation, and by changing the way that we use energy. But we can also work with Africans to turn this crisis into opportunity.
Together, we can partner on behalf of our planet and prosperity and help countries increase access to power while skipping the dirtier phase of development. Across Africa, there is bountiful wind and solar power; geothermal energy and bio-fuels. From the Rift Valley to the North African deserts; from the Western coast to South Africa's crops - Africa's boundless natural gifts can generate its own power, while exporting profitable, clean energy abroad.
These steps are about more than growth numbers on a balance sheet. They're about whether a young person with an education can get a job that supports a family; a farmer can transfer their goods to the market; or an entrepreneur with a good idea can start a business. It's about the dignity of work. Its about the opportunity that must exist for Africans in the 21st century.
Just as governance is vital to opportunity, it is also critical to the third area that I will talk about - strengthening public health.
In recent years, enormous progress has been made in parts of Africa. Far more people are living productively with HIV/AIDS, and getting the drugs they need. But too many still die from diseases that shouldn't kill them. When children are being killed because of a mosquito bite, and mothers are dying in childbirth, then we know that more progress must be made.
Yet because of incentives - often provided by donor nations - many African doctors and nurses understandably go overseas, or work for programs that focus on a single disease. This creates gaps in primary care and basic prevention. Meanwhile, individual Africans also have to make responsible choices that prevent the spread of disease, while promoting public health in their communities and countries.
Across Africa, we see examples of people tackling these problems. In Nigeria, an interfaith effort of Christians and Muslims has set an example of cooperation to confront malaria. Here in Ghana and across Africa, we see innovative ideas for filling gaps in care - for instance, through E-Health initiatives that allow doctors in big cities to support those in small towns.
America will support these efforts through a comprehensive, global health strategy. Because in the 21st century, we are called to act by our conscience and our common interest. When a child dies of a preventable illness in Accra, that diminishes us everywhere. And when disease goes unchecked in any corner of the world, we know that it can spread across oceans and continents.
That is why my administration has committed $63 billion to meet these challenges. Building on the strong efforts of President Bush, we will carry forward the fight against HIV/AIDS. We will pursue the goal of ending deaths from malaria and tuberculosis, and eradicating polio. We will fight neglected tropical disease. And we won't confront illnesses in isolation - we will invest in public health systems that promote wellness and focus on the health of mothers and children.
As we partner on behalf of a healthier future, we must also stop the destruction that comes not from illness, but from human beings - and so the final area that I will address is conflict.
Now let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at war. But for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.
These conflicts are a millstone around Africa's neck. We all have many identities - of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe, or who worships a different prophet, has no place in the 21st century. Africa's diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God's children. We all share common aspirations - to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families, our communities, and our faith. That is our common humanity.
That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systematic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. All of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress.
Africans are standing up for this future. Here, too, Ghana is helping to point the way forward. Ghanaians should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from Congo to Liberia to Lebanon, and in your efforts to resist the scourge of the drug trade. We welcome the steps that are being taken by organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS to better resolve conflicts, keep the peace, and support those in need. And we encourage the vision of a strong, regional security architecture that can bring effective, transnational force to bear when needed.
America has a responsibility to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there is genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems - they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response. That is why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy, technical assistance, and logistical support, and will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. And let me be clear: our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa and the world.
In Moscow, I spoke of the need for an international system where the universal rights of human beings are respected, and violations of those rights are opposed. That must include a commitment to support those who resolve conflicts peacefully, to sanction and stop those who don't, and to help those who have suffered. But ultimately, it will be vibrant democracies like Botswana and Ghana which roll back the causes of conflict, and advance the frontiers of peace and prosperity.
As I said earlier, Africa's future is up to Africans.
The people of Africa are ready to claim that future. In my country, African-Americans - including so many recent immigrants - have thrived in every sector of society. We have done so despite a difficult past, and we have drawn strength from our African heritage. With strong institutions and a strong will, I know that Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos; in Kigali and Kinshasa; in Harare and right here in Accra.
Fifty-two years ago, the eyes of the world were on Ghana. And a young preacher named Martin Luther King traveled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: "It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice."
Now, that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. And I am particularly speaking to the young people. In places like Ghana, you make up over half of the population. Here is what you must know: the world will be what you make of it.
You have the power to hold your leaders accountable and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, end conflicts and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can. Because in this moment, history is on the move.
But these things can only be done if you take responsibility for your future. It won't be easy. It will take time and effort. There will be suffering and setbacks. But I can promise you this: America will be with you. As a partner. As a friend. Opportunity won't come from any other place, though - it must come from the decisions that you make, the things that you do, and the hope that you hold in your hearts.
Freedom is your inheritance. Now, it is your responsibility to build upon freedom's foundation. And if you do, we will look back years from now to places like Accra and say that this was the time when the promise was realized - this was the moment when prosperity was forged; pain was overcome; and a new era of progress began. This can be the time when we witness the triumph of justice once more. Thank you..
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