U.S.
President Barack Obama delivered a keynote speech Tuesday at African Union
headquarters in Mandela Hall in Ethiopia's capital city of Addis
Ababa. It was the first time a sitting American president addressed the
54-member continental bloc, and the historic speech marked the end of Obama's
five-day, two-nation tour of East Africa.
Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so
much. Madam Chairwoman, thank you so much for your kind words and your
leadership. To Prime Minister Hailemariam, and the people of Ethiopia -- once
again, thank you for your wonderful hospitality and for hosting this
pan-African institution. (Applause.) To members of the African Union,
distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen -- thank you for welcoming me here
today. It is a great honor to be the first President of the United States to
address the African Union. (Applause.)
I’m grateful for this opportunity to
speak to the representatives of more than one billion people of the great
African continent. (Applause.) We’re joined today by citizens, by leaders of
civil society, by faith communities, and I’m especially pleased to see so many
young people who embody the energy and optimism of today’s Africa. Hello! Thank
you for being here. (Applause.)
I stand before you as a proud American.
I also stand before you as the son of an African. (Applause.) Africa and its
people helped to shape America and allowed it to become the great nation that
it is. And Africa and its people have helped shape who I am and how I see the
world. In the villages in Kenya where my father was born, I learned of my
ancestors, and the life of my grandfather, the dreams of my father, the bonds
of family that connect us all as Africans and Americans.
As parents, Michelle and I want to make
sure that our two daughters know their heritage -- European and African, in all
of its strengths and all of its struggle. So we’ve taken our daughters and
stood with them on the shores of West Africa, in those doors of no return,
mindful that their ancestors were both slaves and slave owners. We’ve stood
with them in that small cell on Robben Island where Madiba showed the world
that, no matter the nature of his physical confinement, he alone was the master
of his fate. (Applause.) For us, for our children, Africa and its people teach
us a powerful lesson -- that we must uphold the inherent dignity of every human
being.
Dignity -- that basic idea that by
virtue of our common humanity, no matter where we come from, or what we look
like, we are all born equal, touched by the grace of God. (Applause.) Every
person has worth. Every person matters. Every person deserves to be treated
with decency and respect. Throughout much of history, mankind did not see this.
Dignity was seen as a virtue reserved to those of rank and privilege, kings and
elders. It took a revolution of the spirit, over many centuries, to open our
eyes to the dignity of every person. And around the world, generations have
struggled to put this idea into practice in laws and in institutions.
So, too, here in Africa. This is the
cradle of humanity, and ancient African kingdoms were home to great libraries
and universities. But the evil of slavery took root not only abroad, but here
on the continent. Colonialism skewed Africa’s economy and robbed people of
their capacity to shape their own destiny. Eventually, liberation movements
grew. And 50 years ago, in a great burst of self-determination, Africans
rejoiced as foreign flags came down and your national flags went up.
(Applause.) As South Africa’s Albert Luthuli said at the time, “the basis for
peace and brotherhood in Africa is being restored by the resurrection of
national sovereignty and independence, of equality and the dignity of man.
A half-century into this independence
era, it is long past time to put aside old stereotypes of an Africa forever
mired in poverty and conflict. The world must recognize Africa’s extraordinary
progress. Today, Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world.
Africa’s middle class is projected to grow to more than one billion consumers.
(Applause.) With hundreds of millions of mobile phones, surging access to the
Internet, Africans are beginning to leapfrog old technologies into new
prosperity. Africa is on the move, a new Africa is emerging.
Propelled by this progress, and in
partnership with the world, Africa has achieved historic gains in health. The
rate of new HIV/AIDS infections has plummeted. African mothers are more likely
to survive childbirth and have healthy babies. Deaths from malaria have been
slashed, saving the lives of millions of African children. Millions have been
lifted from extreme poverty. Africa has led the world in sending more children
to school. In other words, more and more African men, women and children are
living with dignity and with hope. (Applause.)
And Africa’s progress can also be seen
in the institutions that bring us together today. When I first came to
Sub-Saharan Africa as a President, I said that Africa doesn’t need strongmen,
it needs strong institutions. (Applause.) And one of those institutions can be
the African Union. Here, you can come together, with a shared commitment to
human dignity and development. Here, your 54 nations pursue a common vision of
an 'integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.'
As Africa changes, I’ve called on the
world to change its approach to Africa. (Applause.) So many Africans have told
me, we don’t want just aid, we want trade that fuels progress. We don’t want
patrons, we want partners who help us build our own capacity to grow. (Applause.)
We don’t want the indignity of dependence, we want to make our own choices and
determine our own future.
As President, I’ve worked to transform
America’s relationship with Africa -- so that we’re truly listening to our
African friends and working together, as equal partners. And I’m proud of the
progress that we’ve made. We’ve boosted American exports to this region, part
of trade that supports jobs for Africans and Americans. To sustain our momentum
-- and with the bipartisan support of some of the outstanding members of
Congress who are here today -- 20 of them who are here today -- I recently
signed the 10-year renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
(Applause.) And I want to thank them all. Why don't they stand very briefly so
you can see them, because they’ve done outstanding work. (Applause.)
We’ve launched major initiatives to
promote food security, and public health and access to electricity, and to
prepare the next generation of African leaders and entrepreneurs -- investments
that will help fuel Africa’s rise for decades to come. Last year, as the
Chairwoman noted, I welcomed nearly 50 African presidents and prime ministers
to Washington so we could begin a new chapter of cooperation. And by coming to
the African Union today, I’m looking to build on that commitment.
I believe Africa’s rise is not just
important for Africa, it's important to the entire world. We will not be able
to meet the challenges of our time -- from ensuring a strong global economy to
facing down violent extremism, to combating climate change, to ending hunger
and extreme poverty -- without the voices and contributions of one billion
Africans. (Applause.)
Now, even with Africa’s impressive
progress, we must acknowledge that many of these gains rest on a fragile
foundation. Alongside new wealth, hundreds of millions of Africans still endure
extreme poverty. Alongside high-tech hubs of innovation, many Africans are
crowded into shantytowns without power or running water -- a level of poverty
that’s an assault on human dignity.
Moreover, as the youngest and
fastest-growing continent, Africa’s population in the coming decades will
double to some two billion people, and many of them will be young, under 18.
Now, on the one hand, this could bring tremendous opportunities as these young
Africans harness new technologies and ignite new growth and reforms. Economists
will tell you that countries, regions, continents grow faster with younger
populations. It's a demographic edge and advantage -- but only if those young
people are being trained. We need only to look at the Middle East and North
Africa to see that large numbers of young people with no jobs and stifled
voices can fuel instability and disorder.
I suggest to you that the most urgent
task facing Africa today and for decades ahead is to create opportunity for
this next generation. (Applause.) And this will be an enormous undertaking.
Africa will need to generate millions more jobs than it’s doing right now. And
time is of the essence. The choices made today will shape the trajectory of
Africa, and therefore, the world for decades to come. And as your partner and
your friend, allow me to suggest several ways that we can meet this challenge
together.
Africa’s progress will depend on
unleashing economic growth -- not just for the few at the top, but for the
many, because an essential element of dignity is being able to live a decent
life. (Applause.) That begins with a job. And that requires trade and
investment.
Many of your nations have made important
reforms to attract investment -- it’s been a spark for growth. But in many
places across Africa, it’s still too hard to start a venture, still too hard to
build a business. Governments that take additional reforms to make doing
business easier will have an eager partner in the United States. (Applause.)
And that includes reforms to help Africa
trade more with itself -- as the Chairwoman and I discussed before we came out
here today -- because the biggest markets for your goods are often right next
door. You don't have to just look overseas for growth, you can look internally.
And our work to help Africa modernize customs and border crossings started with
the East African Community -- now we’re expanding our efforts across the
continent, because it shouldn’t be harder for African countries to trade with
each other than it is for you to trade with Europe and America. (Applause.)
Now, most U.S. trade with the region is
with just three countries -- South Africa, Nigeria and Angola -- and much of
that is in the form of energy. I want Africans and Americans doing more
business together in more sectors, in more countries. So we’re increasing trade
missions to places like Tanzania, Ethiopia Mozambique. We’re working to help
more Africans get their goods to market. Next year, we’ll host another
U.S.-Africa Business Forum to mobilize billions of dollars in new trade and
investment -- so we’re buying more of each other’s products and all growing
together.
Now, the United States isn’t the only
country that sees your growth as an opportunity. And that is a good thing. When
more countries invest responsibly in Africa, it creates more jobs and
prosperity for us all. So I want to encourage everybody to do business with
Africa, and African countries should want to do business with every country. But
economic relationships can’t simply be about building countries’ infrastructure
with foreign labor or extracting Africa’s natural resources. Real economic
partnerships have to be a good deal for Africa -- they have to create jobs and
capacity for Africans. (Applause.)
And that includes the point that
Chairwoman Zuma made about illicit flows with multinationals -- which is one of
the reasons that we've been a leading advocate, working with the G7, to assist
in making sure that there’s honest accounting when businesses are investing
here in Africa, and making sure that capital flows are properly accounted for.
That's the kind of partnership America offers.
Nothing will unlock Africa’s economic
potential more than ending the cancer of corruption. (Applause.) And you are
right that it is not just a problem of Africa, it is a problem of those who do
business with Africa. It is not unique to Africa -- corruption exists all over
the world, including in the United States. But here in Africa, corruption
drains billions of dollars from economies that can't afford to lose billions of
dollars -- that's money that could be used to create jobs and build hospitals
and schools. And when someone has to pay a bribe just to start a business or go
to school, or get an official to do the job they’re supposed to be doing anyway
-- that’s not 'the African way.' (Applause.) It undermines the dignity of
the people you represent.
Only Africans can end corruption in
their countries. As African governments commit to taking action, the United
States will work with you to combat illicit financing, and promote good
governance and transparency and rule of law. And we already have strong laws in
place that say to U.S. companies, you can't engage in bribery to try to get
business -- which not all countries have. And we actually enforce it and police
it.
And let me add that criminal networks
are both fueling corruption and threatening Africa’s precious wildlife -- and
with it, the tourism that many African economies count on. So America also stands
with you in the fight against wildlife trafficking. That's something that has
to be addressed. (Applause.)
But, ultimately, the most powerful
antidote to the old ways of doing things is this new generation of African
youth. History shows that the nations that do best are the ones that invest in
the education of their people. (Applause.) You see, in this information age,
jobs can flow anywhere, and they typically will flow to where workers are
literate and highly skilled and online. And Africa’s young people are ready to
compete. I've met them -- they are hungry, they are eager. They’re willing to
work hard. So we've got to invest in them. As Africa invests in education, our
entrepreneurship programs are helping innovators start new businesses and create
jobs right here in Africa. And the men and women in our Young African Leaders
Initiative today will be the leaders who can transform business and civil
society and governments tomorrow.
Africa’s progress will depend on
development that truly lifts countries from poverty to prosperity -- because
people everywhere deserve the dignity of a life free from want. A child born in
Africa today is just as equal and just as worthy as a child born in Asia or
Europe or America. At the recent development conference here in Addis, African
leadership helped forge a new global compact for financing that fuels
development. And under the AU’s leadership, the voice of a united Africa will
help shape the world’s next set of development goals, and you’re pursuing a
vision of the future that you want for Africa.
And America’s approach to development --
the central focus of our engagement with Africa -- is focused on helping you
build your own capacity to realize that vision. Instead of just shipping food
aid to Africa, we’ve helped more than two million farmers use new techniques to
boost their yields, feed more people, reduce hunger. With our new alliance of
government and the private sector investing billions of dollars in African
agriculture, I believe we can achieve our goal and lift 50 million Africans
from poverty.
Instead of just sending aid to build
power plants, our Power Africa initiative is mobilizing billions of dollars in
investments from governments and businesses to reduce the number of Africans
living without electricity. Now, an undertaking of this magnitude will not be
quick. It will take many years. But working together, I believe we can bring
electricity to more than 60 million African homes and businesses and connect
more Africans to the global economy. (Applause.)
Instead of just telling Africa, you’re
on your own, in dealing with climate change, we’re delivering new tools and
financing to more than 40 African nations to help them prepare and adapt. By
harnessing the wind and sun, your vast geothermal energy and rivers for
hydropower, you can turn this climate threat into an economic opportunity. And
I urge Africa to join us in rejecting old divides between North and South so we
can forge a strong global climate agreement this year in Paris. Because sparing
some of the world’s poorest people from rising seas, more intense droughts,
shortages of water and food is a matter of survival and a matter of human
dignity.
Instead of just sending medicine, we’re
investing in better treatments and helping Africa prevent and treat diseases.
As the United States continues to provide billions of dollars in the fight
against HIV/AIDS, and as your countries take greater ownership of health
programs, we’re moving toward a historic accomplishment -- the first AIDS-free
generation. (Applause.) And if the world learned anything from Ebola, it’s that
the best way to prevent epidemics is to build strong public health systems that
stop diseases from spreading in the first place. So America is proud to partner
with the AU and African countries in this mission. Today, I can announce that
of the $1 billion that the United States is devoting to this work globally,
half will support efforts here in Africa. (Applause.)
I believe Africa’s progress will also
depend on democracy, because Africans, like people everywhere, deserve the
dignity of being in control of their own lives. (Applause.) We all know what
the ingredients of real democracy are. They include free and fair elections,
but also freedom of speech and the press, freedom of assembly. These rights are
universal. They’re written into African constitutions. (Applause.) The African
Charter on Human and Peoples Rights declares that “every individual shall have
the right to the respect of the dignity inherent in a human being.” From Sierra
Leone, Ghana, Benin, to Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, democracy has taken
root. In Nigeria, more than 28 million voters bravely cast their ballots and
power transferred as it should -- peacefully. (Applause.)
Yet at this very moment, these same
freedoms are denied to many Africans. And I have to proclaim, democracy is not
just formal elections. (Applause.) When journalists are put behind bars for
doing their jobs, or activists are threatened as governments crack down on
civil society -- (applause) -- then you may have democracy in name, but not in
substance. (Applause.) And I'm convinced that nations cannot realize the full
promise of independence until they fully protect the rights of their people.
And this is true even for countries that
have made important democratic progress. As I indicated during my visit to
Kenya, the remarkable gains that country has made with a new constitution, with
its election, cannot be jeopardized by restrictions on civil society. Likewise,
our host, Ethiopians have much to be proud of -- I've been amazed at all the
wonderful work that's being done here -- and it's true that the elections that
took place here occurred without violence. But as I discussed with Prime
Minister Hailemariam, that’s just the start of democracy. I believe Ethiopia
will not fully unleash the potential of its people if journalists are
restricted or legitimate opposition groups can't participate in the campaign
process. And, to his credit, the Prime Minister acknowledged that more work
will need to be done for Ethiopia to be a full-fledged, sustainable democracy.
(Applause.)
So these are conversations we have to
have as friends. Our American democracy is not perfect. We've worked for many
years -- (applause) -- but one thing we do is we continually reexamine to
figure out how can we make our democracy better. And that's a force of strength
for us, being willing to look and see honestly what we need to be doing to
fulfill the promise of our founding documents.
And every country has to go through that
process. No country is perfect, but we have to be honest, and strive to expand
freedoms, to broaden democracy. The bottom line is that when citizens cannot
exercise their rights, the world has a responsibility to speak out. And America
will, even if it’s sometimes uncomfortable -- (applause) -- even when it’s
sometimes directed toward our friends.
And I know that there’s some countries
that don't say anything -- (laughter) -- and maybe that's easier for leaders to
deal with. (Laughter.) But you're kind of stuck with us -- this is how we are.
(Applause.) We believe in these things and we're going to keep on talking about
them.
And I want to repeat, we do this not
because we think our democracy is perfect, or we think that every country has
to follow precisely our path. For more than two centuries since our
independence, we’re still working on perfecting our union. We're not immune
from criticism. When we fall short of our ideals, we strive to do better.
(Applause.) But when we speak out for our principles, at home and abroad, we
stay true to our values and we help lift up the lives of people beyond our
borders. And we think that's important. And it's especially important, I
believe, for those of us of African descent, because we've known what it feels
like to be on the receiving end of injustice. We know what it means to be
discriminated against. (Applause.) We know what it means to be jailed. So how
can we stand by when it's happening to somebody else?
I'll be frank with you, it
can't just be America that's talking about these things. Fellow African
countries have to talk about these things. (Applause.) Just as other countries
championed your break from colonialism, our nations must all raise our voices
when universal rights are being denied. For if we truly believe that Africans
are equal in dignity, then Africans have an equal right to freedoms that are
universal -- that’s a principle we all have to defend. (Applause.) And it's not
just a Western idea; it's a human idea.
I have to also say that
Africa’s democratic progress is also at risk when leaders refuse to step aside
when their terms end. (Applause.) Now, let me be honest with you -- I do not
understand this. (Laughter.) I am in my second term. It has been an
extraordinary privilege for me to serve as President of the United States. I
cannot imagine a greater honor or a more interesting job. I love my work. But
under our Constitution, I cannot run again. (Laughter and applause.) I can't
run again. I actually think I'm a pretty good President -- I think if I ran I
could win. (Laughter and applause.) But I can't.
So there’s a lot that I'd like
to do to keep America moving, but the law is the law. (Applause.) And no one
person is above the law. Not even the President. (Applause.) And I'll be honest
with you -- I’m looking forward to life after being President. (Laughter.) I
won't have such a big security detail all the time. (Laughter.) It means I can
go take a walk. I can spend time with my family. I can find other ways to
serve. I can visit Africa more often. (Applause.) The point is, I don't
understand why people want to stay so long. (Laughter.) Especially when they’ve
got a lot of money. (Laughter and applause.)
When a leader tries to change
the rules in the middle of the game just to stay in office, it risks instability
and strife -- as we’ve seen in Burundi. (Applause.) And this is often just a
first step down a perilous path. And sometimes you’ll hear leaders say, well,
I'm the only person who can hold this nation together. (Laughter.) If that's
true, then that leader has failed to truly build their nation. (Applause.)
You look at Nelson Mandela --
Madiba, like George Washington, forged a lasting legacy not only because of
what they did in office, but because they were willing to leave office and
transfer power peacefully. (Applause.) And just as the African Union has
condemned coups and illegitimate transfers of power, the AU’s authority and
strong voice can also help the people of Africa ensure that their leaders abide
by term limits and their constitutions. (Applause.) Nobody should be president
for life.
And your country is better off
if you have new blood and new ideas. (Applause.) I'm still a pretty young man,
but I know that somebody with new energy and new insights will be good for my
country. (Applause.) It will be good for yours, too, in some cases.
Africa’s progress will also depend on
security and peace -- because an essential part of human dignity is being safe
and free from fear. In Angola, Mozambique, Liberia, Sierra Leone, we’ve seen
conflicts end and countries work to rebuild. But from Somalia and Nigeria to
Mali and Tunisia, terrorists continue to target innocent civilians. Many of
these groups claim the banner of religion, but hundreds of millions of African
Muslims know that Islam means peace. (Applause.) And we must call groups like
al Qaeda, ISIL, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram -- we must call them what they are --
murderers. (Applause.)
In the face of threats, Africa -- and
the African Union --has shown leadership. Because of the AU force in Somalia,
al-Shabaab controls less territory and the Somali government is growing
stronger. In central Africa, the AU-led mission continues to degrade the Lord’s
Resistance Army. In the Lake Chad Basin, forces from several nations -- with
the backing of the AU -- are fighting to end Boko Haram’s senseless brutality.
And today, we salute all those who serve to protect the innocent, including so
many brave African peacekeepers.
Now, as Africa stands against terror and
conflict, I want you to know that the United States stands with you. With
training and support, we’re helping African forces grow stronger. The United
States is supporting the AU’s efforts to strengthen peacekeeping, and we’re
working with countries in the region to deal with emerging crises with the
African Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership.
The world must do more to help as well.
This fall at the United Nations, I will host a summit to secure new commitments
to strengthen international support for peacekeeping, including here in Africa.
And building on commitments that originated here in the AU, we’ll work to
develop a new partnership between the U.N. and the AU that can provide reliable
support for AU peace operations. If African governments and international
partners step up with strong support, we can transform how we work together to
promote security and peace in Africa.
Our efforts to ensure our shared
security must be matched by a commitment to improve governance. Those things
are connected. Good governance is one of the best weapons against terrorism and
instability. Our fight against terrorist groups, for example, will never be won
if we fail to address legitimate grievances that terrorists may try to exploit,
if we don’t build trust with all communities, if we don’t uphold the rule of
law. There’s a saying, and I believe it is true -- if we sacrifice liberty in
the name of security, we risk losing both. (Applause.)
This same seriousness of purpose is
needed to end conflicts. In the Central African Republic, the spirit of
dialogue recently shown by ordinary citizens must be matched by leaders
committed to inclusive elections and a peaceful transition. In Mali, the
comprehensive peace agreement must be fulfilled. And leaders in Sudan must know
their nation will never truly thrive so long as they wage war against their own
people -- the world will not forget about Darfur.
In South Sudan, the joy of independence
has descended into the despair of violence. I was there at the United Nations
when we held up South Sudan as the promise of a new beginning. And neither Mr.
Kiir, nor Mr. Machar have shown, so far, any interest in sparing their people
from this suffering, or reaching a political solution.
Yesterday, I met with leaders from this
region. We agree that, given the current situation, Mr. Kiir and Mr. Machar
must reach an agreement by August 17th -- because if they do not, I believe the
international community must raise the costs of intransigence. And the world
awaits the report of the AU Commission of Inquiry, because accountability for
atrocities must be part of any lasting peace in Africa’s youngest nation.
(Applause.)
And finally, Africa’s progress will
depend on upholding the human rights of all people -- for if each of us is to
be treated with dignity, each of us must be sure to also extend that same dignity
to others. As President, I make it a point to meet with many of our Young
African Leaders. And one was a young man from Senegal. He said something
wonderful about being together with so many of his African brothers and
sisters. He said, 'Here, I have met Africa, the [Africa] I’ve always believed
in. She’s beautiful. She’s young. She’s full of talent and motivation and
ambition.' I agree.
Africa is the beautiful, talented
daughters who are just as capable as Africa’s sons. (Applause.) And as a father,
I believe that my two daughters have to have the same chance to pursue their
dreams as anybody’s son -- and that same thing holds true for girls here in
Africa. (Applause.) Our girls have to be treated the same.
We can’t let old traditions stand in the
way. The march of history shows that we have the capacity to broaden our moral
imaginations. We come to see that some traditions are good for us, they keep us
grounded, but that, in our modern world, other traditions set us back. When
African girls are subjected to the mutilation of their bodies, or forced into
marriage at the ages of 9 or 10 or 11 -- that sets us back. That's not a good
tradition. It needs to end. (Applause.)
When more than 80 percent of new HIV
cases in the hardest-hit countries are teenage girls, that’s a tragedy; that
sets us back. So America is beginning a partnership with 10 African countries
-- Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania,
Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe -- to keep teenage girls safe and AIDS-free.
(Applause.) And when girls cannot go to school and grow up not knowing how to
read or write -- that denies the world future women engineers, future women
doctors, future women business owners, future women presidents -- that sets us
all back. (Applause.) That's a bad tradition -- not providing our girls the
same education as our sons.
I was saying in Kenya, nobody would put
out a football team and then just play half the team. You’d lose. (Applause.)
The same is true when it comes to getting everybody and education. You can't
leave half the team off -- our young women. So as part of America’s support for
the education and the health of our daughters, my wife, Michelle, is helping to
lead a global campaign, including a new effort in Tanzania and Malawi, with a
simple message -- Let Girls Learn -- let girls learn so they grow up healthy
and they grow up strong. (Applause.) And that will be good for families. And
they will raise smart, healthy children, and that will be good for every one of
your nations.
Africa is the beautiful, strong women
that these girls grow up to become. The single best indicator of whether a
nation will succeed is how it treats its women. (Applause.) When women have
health care and women have education, families are stronger, communities are
more prosperous, children do better in school, nations are more prosperous.
Look at the amazing African women here in this hall. (Applause.) If you want
your country to grow and succeed, you have to empower your women. And if you
want to empower more women, America will be your partner. (Applause.)
Let’s work together to stop sexual
assault and domestic violence. Let’s make clear that we will not tolerate rape
as a weapon of war -- it’s a crime. (Applause.) And those who commit it must be
punished. Let’s lift up the next generation of women leaders who can help fight
injustice and forge peace and start new businesses and create jobs -- and some
might hire some men, too. (Laughter.) We’ll all be better off when women have
equal futures.
And Africa is the beautiful tapestry of
your cultures and ethnicities and races and religions. Last night, we saw this
amazing dance troupe made up of street children who had formed a dance troupe
and they performed for the Prime Minister and myself. And there were 80 different
languages and I don't know how many ethnic groups. And there were like 30
different dances that were being done. And the Prime Minister was trying to
keep up with -- okay, I think that one is -- (laughter) -- and they were moving
fast. And that diversity here in Ethiopia is representative of diversity all
throughout Africa. (Applause.) And that's a strength.
Now, yesterday, I had the privilege to
view Lucy -- you may know Lucy -- she’s our ancestor, more than 3 million years
old. (Applause.) In this tree of humanity, with all of our branches and
diversity, we all go back to the same root. We’re all one family -- we're all
one tribe. And yet so much of the suffering in our world stems from our failure
to remember that -- to not recognize ourselves in each other. (Applause.)
We think because somebody’s skin is
slightly different, or their hair is slightly different, or their religious
faith is differently expressed, or they speak a different language that it
justifies somehow us treating them with less dignity. And that becomes the
source of so many of our problems. And we think somehow that we make ourselves
better by putting other people down. And that becomes the source of so many of
our problems. When we begin to see other as somehow less than ourselves -- when
we succumb to these artificial divisions of faith or sect or tribe or ethnicity
-- then even the most awful abuses are justified in the minds of those who are
thinking in those ways. And in the end, abusers lose their own humanity, as
well. (Applause.)
Nelson Mandela taught us, 'to be free is
not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and
enhances the freedom of others.'
Every one of us is equal. Every one of
us has worth. Every one of us matters. And when we respect the freedom of
others -- no matter the color of their skin, or how they pray or who they are
or who they love -- we are all more free. (Applause.) Your dignity depends on
my dignity, and my dignity depends on yours. Imagine if everyone had that
spirit in their hearts. Imagine if governments operated that way. (Applause.)
Just imagine what the world could look like -- the future that we could
bequeath these young people.
Yes, in our world, old thinking can be a
stubborn thing. That's one of the reasons why we need term limits -- old people
think old ways. And you can see my grey hair, I'm getting old. (Laughter.) The
old ways can be stubborn. But I believe the human heart is stronger. I believe
hearts can change. I believe minds can open. That’s how change happens. That’s
how societies move forward. It's not always a straight line -- step by halting
step -- sometimes you go forward, you move back a little bit. But I believe we
are marching, we are pointing towards ideals of justice and equality.
That’s how your nations won independence
-- not just with rifles, but with principles and ideals. (Applause.) That's how
African Americans won our civil rights. That's how South Africans -- black and
white -- tore down apartheid. That's why I can stand before you today as the
first African American President of the United States. (Applause.)
New thinking. Unleashing growth that
creates opportunity. Promoting development that lifts all people out of
poverty. Supporting democracy that gives citizens their say. Advancing the
security and justice that delivers peace. Respecting the human rights of all
people. These are the keys to progress -- not just in Africa, but around the
world. And this is the work that we can do together.
And I am hopeful. As I prepare to return
home, my thoughts are with that same young man from Senegal, who said: Here, I
have met Africa, the [Africa] I’ve always believed in. She’s beautiful and
young, full of talent and motivation and ambition. To which I would simply add,
as you build the Africa you believe in, you will have no better partner, no
better friend than the United States of America. (Applause.)
God bless Africa. God bless the United
States of America. Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.)
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
Some 180.000 candidates sat for the
General Certificate of Education-GCE (A Level and O level) are worried and
disturbed over the nonchalant attitude of the Cameroon GCE Board. This is so
because majority of them have not been able to get their results. The results
were announced over Cameroon Radio Television-CRTV today July 31, 2015. 
