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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