President Barack Obama's Speech
in Ghana
11 July, 2008
The following is the text of President Obama's speech Saturday
in Accra, Ghana, as prepared for delivery and provided by the
White House:
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% 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 cellphone 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. It s 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.
Courtesy
in Ghana
11 July, 2008
The following is the text of President Obama's speech Saturday
in Accra, Ghana, as prepared for delivery and provided by the
White House:
- 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,
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% 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 cellphone 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. It s 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.
Courtesy
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