8/14/2019 (2010) President Obama's first official visit to Africa

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Wls n s rs jurney aend

e Gru Eg (G-8) eengn Eure, e presden ade a

ne-day s n e wes Arcan cunry Gana, rasng a grea deal exceen ne rcess.Alug s aer as kenyan by br, e

decsn s Gana as nfuenced by s

gly success and eaceul elecns ereus Deceber, lus e ers eGanaan gernen car a successulcurse r e nan n callengng es.BytravelingtoGhana,wehopetohighlighte eece gernance a ey ae n

place,ObamasaidinaninterviewwithAl-

lArca.c, c cers nes r e A-rcan cnnen.Durng s ne-day s, obaa e sGanaan cunerar, Jn Aa mlls, ce n January. te gly successuldecrac elecn n e nan se 23

e ths smm th wy ctd psdt th utd Stts, bck om md hsty s th fst ac-

amc ctd t th hhst fc t st th ctt hs s.

lln as e se end e sec-ru r slar exercses n zbabeand kenya, ere obaas aer als r.te cunres lunged n selecnlcal dcules las year, rcng leadersn b cunres r cnenus cal-n gernens.Gana as e rs sub-Saaran cunry gan ndeendence, en rug grngans, ncludng a saunc lary rule, bueerged as a decracy n 1992 llngaanng ndeendence r Bran n 1957.te ne-day s ad a as aced nerary axe e recus e e ne pres-den culd send n Arca, Fr e -en s arcra uced e arac a eka inernanal Arr, e rs sae-en e aes, s ss e oanene

oguaa and e naus Cae Cas Cas-le c aced as a ayn r slaes be-ng sed e Carbbean obaa aseen be seen and eard.Gana as lng been a aure Arcancunry r ss by Aercan presdens

ang sed presdens Bll Clnn, Gergew Bus and n Barac obaa. Fr ecunry ere s a enal al eec ners urs and re ranly ner-es n nesen n an sland lcalsably n e cnnen. te neresngquesn r Arcan lcal unds s acunry nerary ll e nex Arca pres-denal ur encass and ente ey lcal en e s as anaddress e Ganaan parlaen, e ullex c lls.

presden obaas rears, as reared rdelery, r s seec e arlaen Gana, Saurday July 11, 2009.

Gd rnng. i s an nr r e

be n Accra, and sea ereresenaes e ele

Gana. i a deely graeul r e elcea ie receed, as are mcelle, mala, andSasa obaa. Ganas sry s rc, ees beeen ur cunres are srng,

and i a sub-Saaraed Saes.

i a sear. i bega grea eeng And i aele reasn:by a ac r waAccra as ts s e sbundareseled by can exsecury ca

e srengance uS i d nArca as a daenal as arners

F ROM TH E WH ITE H OUSE TO TH E CAP E COAST OF G H AN A:

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REpoRtiNG BY JEFFREY BRADFoRD phD

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uure a e an r all ur cldren. taarners us be grunded n uual re-snsbly, and a s a i an sea yu abu day.

we us sar r e sle rese aArcas uure s u Arcans.i say s nng ull ell e ragc asa as sees auned s ar erld. i ave e bld Arca n e,and y alys n sry encassesb e ragedes and rus e larg-er Arcan sry.my grandaer as a c r e Brs nkenya, and ug e as a reseced elder nhisvillage,hisemployerscalledhimboyfor

uc s le. he as n e erery kenyas lberan sruggles, bu e as sllrsned brefy durng reressve es. ins le, clnals asn sly e crean unnaural brders r unar ers rade - as seng exerenced ersnally, dayaer day, year aer year.my aer gre u erdng gas n a ny

vllage, an ssble dsance aay re Aercan unverses ere e uldce ge an educan. he cae age aan exrardnary en rse r A-rca. te sruggles s n aers gen-eran ere gvng br ne nans, be-

gnnng rg ere n Gana. Arcans ereeducang and asserng eselves n neays. hsry as n e ve.Sry cnnues bel

Bu dese e rgress a as beenade - and ere as been cnsder-able rgress n ars Arca - e

als n a uc a rse as ye be ullled. Cunres le kenya, cad a er caa ecny larger an Sukreas en i as brn, ave been badlyuaced. Dsease and cnfc ave ravagedars e Arcan cnnen. in any lac-es, e e y aers generan gaveay cyncs, even desar.i s easy n ngers, and n eblae r ese rbles n ers. Yes, aclnal a a ade lle sense bred cn-fc, and e wes as en araced A-rca as a arn, raer an a arner. Bu ewes s n resnsble r e desrucn e zbabean ecny ver e las de-cade, r ars n c cldren are enlsed as

cbaans. in y aers le, as arlyrbals and arnage n an ndeendenkenya a r a lng srec deraled s ca-reer, and e n a s nd crruns a daly ac le r ar any.o curse, e als n a s n e

le sry. here n Gana, yu s us aace Arca a s en verled bya rld a sees nly ragedy r e needr cary. te ele Gana avered ard u decracy n a rerng, eaceul ransers ereven n e ae clsely cnesed elec-ns. And rved gvernance and an

eergng cvl scey, Ganas ecny assn ressve raes gr.ts rgress ay lac e draa e20 cenurys lberan sruggles, bu aen sae: ll ulaely be re sgn-can. Fr jus as s ran eerger e cnrl aner nan, s evenre ran buld nes n.S i beleve a s en s jus as rs-ng r Gana - and r Arca - as e enen y aer cae age and ne nansere beng brn. ts s a ne en rse. only s e, e ave learned a ll n be gans le Nrua and kenyaa ll deerne Arcas uure. insead, ll be yu - e en and en n Ganasparlaen, and e ele yu reresen.Abve all, ll be e yung ele - br-ng alen and energy and e - can cla e uure a s any n y a-

ers generan never und.

t reale a rse, e us rs recg-ne a undaenal ru a yu ave gvenle n Gana: develen deends ungd gvernance. ta s e ngredenc as been ssng n ar any lac-es, r ar lng. ta s e cange acan unlc Arcas enal. And a s a re-snsbly a can nly be e by Arcans.As r Aerca and e wes, ur c-en us be easured by re an juse dllars e send. i ave ledged subsan-al ncreases n ur regn asssance, cs n Arcas neres and Aercas. Bu erue sgn success s n eer e are asurce ad a els ele scrae by - s eer e are arners n buldng e ca-acy r ransranal cange.

ts uual resnsbly us be e un-dan ur arners. And day, i llcus n ur areas a are crcal e u-ure Arca and e enre develngrld: decracy; runy; eal; ande eaceul reslun cnfc.

Frs, e us sur srng and susanabledecrac gvernens.As i sad n Car, eac nan gves le de-cracy n s n ay, and n lne sn radns. Bu sry ers a clear ver-dc: gvernens a resec e ll er n ele are re rserus, resable, and re successul an gvern-

ens a d n.ts s abu re an ldng elecns -s als abu a aens beeen e.Reressn aes any rs, and anynans are lagued by rbles a cn-den er ele very. N cunry sgng creae eal s leaders exle ecny enrc eselves, r lcecan be bug by drug racers. Nbusness ans nves n a lace ere egvernen ss 20 ercen e , re ead e pr Aury s crru. Nersn ans lve n a scey ere erule la gves ay e rule brualyand brbery. ta s n decracy, a s yr-anny, and n s e e r end.

in e 21s cenury, caable, relable andransaren nsuns are e ey suc-cess - srng arlaens and nes lce

rces; ndeenden judges and jurnalss; avbran rvae secr and cvl scey. tseare e ngs a gve le decracy, be-cause a s a aers n eles lves.te and agan, Ganaans ave csen Cn-sunal rule ver aucracy, and sn adecrac sr a alls e energy yur ele brea rug. we see a nleaders acce deea gracusly, and vc-rs ress calls eld er aganse sn. we see a sr n cura-geus jurnalss le Anas Areeya Anas, rsed s le rer e ru. we see n lce le paence quaye, eledrsecue e rs uan racer n Gana.we see n e yung ele are sea-ng u agans arnage, and arcang ne lcal rcess.

Acrss Arca, e ave seen cunless

exales ele ang cnrl er desny, and ang cange

r e b u. we sa n kenya,ere cvl scey and busness cae -geer el s s-elecn vlence.we sa n Su Arca, ere ver ree

uarers e cunry ved n e recenelecn - e ur snce e end Aar-ed. we sa n zbabe, ere eElecn Sur Ner braved brual re-ressn sand u r e rncle a aersns ve s er sacred rg.mae n sae: sry s n e sde ese brave Arcans, and n se

use cus r cange Cnsuns say n er. Arca desn need srng-en, needs srng nsuns.Aerca ll n see se any syse gvernen n any er nan - e es-senal ru decracy s a eac nandeernes s n desny. wa e ll ds ncrease asssance r resnsble ndvd-uals and nsuns, a cus n sur-ng gd gvernance - n arlaens, ccec abuses er and ensure a -sn vces are eard; n e rule la,c ensures e eual adnsran jusce; n cvc arcan, s a yungele ge nvlved; and n cncree slu-ns crrun le rensc accunng,auang servces, srengenng lnes,and recng sle-blers advanceransarency and accunably.

As e rvde s sur, i ave d-reced y Adnsran gvegreaer aenn crrun n

ur huan Rgs rer. pele every-ere suld ave e rg sar a bus-ness r ge an educan u ayng abrbe. we ave a resnsbly surse ac resnsbly and slae

se Aerca ts leads darnersrvdes

w beea Arca

base r rnaural resrereneursn e ae er us als bdes - raes ealeaves ein Gana, runesn rearnany Gance e nSngare,rve enrasrucexr ndurce, and cu-sed b

As Arcansll be rand. By cucnsulanre resuneed , eselvessecury nds and ecly sendngArca. Ad se re cndAerca caand nvesur drs n a eanngd gvey rugnves n be

y-buldngness; and and rural aes - r and ealll en

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dea senence a scey rce cdren n ars. i s e uae ar crnay and cardce cnden -en reeness and syseac rae. weus bear ness e aue eery cdn Darur and e dgny eery an nCng. N a r cuure sud cndnee urages agans e. A us us

sre r e eace and secury necessaryr rgress.Arcans are sandng u r s uure. here,, Gana s eng n e ay r-ard. Ganaans sud ae rde n yurcnrbuns eaceeeng r Cng lbera lebann, and n yur ers re-ss e scurge e drug rade. we e-ce e ses a are beng aen by rga-nzans e e Arcan Unn and ECowAS beer rese cnfcs, ee e eace,and sur se n need. And e encur-age e sn a srng, regna securyarcecure a can brng eece, ransna-na rce bear en needed.

Aerca as a resnsby ad-ance s sn, n jus rds, bu sur a

srengens Arcan caacy. wen ere s

gencde n Darur r errrss n Saa,ese are n sy Arcan rbes - eyare gba secury caenges, and ey de-and a gba resnse. ta s y esand ready arner rug dacy,ecnca asssance, and gsca sur,and sand bend ers d arcrnas accunabe. And e e be cear:ur Arca Cand s cused n n es-absng a d n e cnnen, bun cnrnng ese cn caenges adance e secury Aerca, Arca ande rd.in msc, i se e need r an nerna-na syse ere e unersa rgs u-an bengs are reseced, and ans se rgs are sed. ta us ncude acen sur se rese cn-fcs eaceuy, sancn and s se dn, and e se ae suered. Bu

uaey, be bran decraces eBsana and Gana c r bac e causes cnfc, and adance e rners eaceand rsery.As i sad earer, Arcas uure s u Arcans.

te ee Arca are ready ca auure. in y cunr y, Arcan-Aercans -ncudng s any recen grans - aered n eery secr scey. we aedne s dese a dcu as, and e aedran sreng r ur Arcan erage.w srng nsuns and a srng , i

n a Arcans can e er dreas nNarb and lags; n kga and knsasa; nharare and rg ere n Accra.Fy- years ag, e eyes e rdere n Gana. And a yung reacernaed marn luer kng raeed ere, Accra, ac e Unn Jac ce dnand e Ganaan fag g u. ts as be-re e arc n wasngn r e suc-cess e c rgs een n ycunry. Dr. kng as ased e ee acng e br a nan. And esaid:Itrenewsmyconvictionintheulti-matetriumphofjustice.

N, a ru us be n nce re,and us be n by yu. And i a arc-uary seang e yung ee. in ac-es e Gana, yu ae u er a euan. here s a yu us n:

e rd be a yu ae .Yu ae e er d yur eaders ac-cunabe, and bud nsuns asere e ee. Yu can sere n yur c-unes, and arness yur energy and edu-can creae ne ea and bud ne

cnnecndsease, enr e byu can. Ben e

Bu ese

ae resbe easy. i be surse yAs a arnece rce rngs ad n yu

Freedyur d

baAccra and e rsen enerce; ts can beru

one area a ds u b undenabeer and exrardnary rse s energy.Arca ges ess greenuse gas anany er ar e rd, bu s es reaened by cae cange. Aarng ane sread dsease, srnaer resurces, and deee crs, creangcndns a rduce re ane and

cnfc. A us - arcuary e dee-ed rd - ae a resnsby sese rends - rug gan, and bycangng e ay a e use energy. Bue can as r Arcans urn scrss n runy.

Tgeer, e can arner n bea ur ane and rsery, and ecunres ncrease access er

e sng e drer ase dee-en. Acrss Arca, ere s bunu ndand sar er; geera energy and b-ues. Fr e R vaey e Nr Ar-can desers; r e wesern cas Su Arcas crs -Arcas bundess na-ura gs can generae s n er, eexrng rabe, cean energy abrad.tese ses are abu re an grnubers n a baance see. teyre abu

eer a yung ersn an educancan ge a jb a surs a ay; a arercan ranser er gds e are; r anenrereneur a gd dea can sar a

busness. is abu e dgny r. isabu e runy a us exs rArcans n e 21s cenury.

Jus as gernance s a runy, s as crca e rd area a i aabu - srengenng ubc ea.in recen years, enrus rgress as been

ade n ars Arca. Far re ee areng rducey hiv/AiDS, and ge-ng e drugs ey need. Bu any sde r dseases a sudn e.wen cdren are beng ed because asqu be, and ers are dyng ncdbr, en e n a re rgressus be ade.Ye because ncenes - en rded bydnr nans - any Arcan dcrs and nurs-es undersandaby g erseas, r r r r-gras a cus n a snge dsease. ts cre-aes gas n rary care and basc reenn.meane, nddua Arcans as ae ae resnsbe cces a reen esread dsease, e rng ubcea n er cunes and cunres.

Acrss Arca, e see exaes eeacng ese rbes. in Ngera, an iner-

a er Crsans and muss asse an exae ceran cnrnaara. here n Gana and acrss Arca, esee nnae deas r ng gas n care

- r nsance, rug E-hea naesa a dcrs n bg ces surse n sa ns.Aerca sur ese ers rug acreense, gba ea sraegy. Be-cause n e 21s cenury, e are caed ac by ur cnscence and ur cn n-eres. wen a cd des a reenabe

ness n Accra, a dnses us eery-ere. And en dsease ges unceced nany crner e rd, e n a cansread acrss ceans and cnnens.ta s y y Adnsran as c-ed $63 bn ee ese caenges.Budng n e srng ers presdenBus, e carry rard e g aganshiv/AiDS. we ursue e ga endngdeas r aara and ubercuss, anderadcang . we g negecedrca dsease. And e n cnrn -nesses n san - e nes n ubcea syses a re eness, andcus n e ea ers and cdren.As e arner n bea a eaer u-ure, e us as s e desrucn aces n r ness, bu r uan be-ngs - and s e na area a i addresss cnfc.

N e e be cear: Arca s n e crudecarcaure a cnnen a ar. Bu r ar any Arcans, cnfc s a ar e,as cnsan as e sun. tere are ars erand and ars er resurces. And s sar easy r se u cnscence anuae e cunes n gngang as and rbes.tese cnfcs are a sne arund Arcasnec. we a ae any denes - rbeand ency; regn and nanay. Budenng nese n sn sene bengs a deren rbe, r r-ss a deren re, as n ace n e21s cenury. Arcas dersy sud be asurce sreng, n a cause r dsn.we are a Gds cdren. we a sare c-n asrans - e n eace and secu-ry; access educan and runy;

e ur aes, ur cunes, and ura. ta s ur cn uany.

ta s y e us sand u nuanyn ur ds. i s neer jusabe argenncens n e nae degy. i s e

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