US President Barack Obama has said Africa must take charge of its own destiny in the world. Do you agree?
President Obama, on his first official visit to sub-Saharan Africa, has made a powerful call for Africans to stand up for their democratic rights.
He said Africa could have a prosperous future and promised American aid to fight the continent's diseases, conflicts and lack of development.
Is this a defining moment for the continent? Has President Obama lived up to expectations? And what does this speech say about Africa's place in the world?
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Listen to the debate on Africa Have Your Say
Published: Monday, 6 July, 2009, 17:54 GMT 18:54 UK
All comments as they come in
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:58 GMT 21:58 UK I believe President Obama will deliver on his promise. I think it's high time the governments of wealthy countries FOCUS on helping Africa and give not just Africans but also relief workers, humanitarian workers, volunteers etc hope and allow them to breathe a sigh of relief. I suggest the EU, Aust & NZ, Japan, China and the advanced economies in Asia join in this partnership as well. Sela, Tonga |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:56 GMT 21:56 UK That was a brilliant speech by Obama. He's proven the rest of the world that Africa can to be partnered and that Africa has enough resources. ghana, kumasi |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:50 GMT 21:50 UK Obama was right. Africa need to wake up. How can you develop when one man is ruling for more than 20 years? Peter Okolie, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:49 GMT 21:49 UK This guy (Obama) claimed Ghana's democracy was the main reason for his choice. HA! HA!! HA!!! Hope Ghanaians are not that gullible? He chose for his "big speech to the Muslim world" Egypt, an Arab country without any form of democratic principles or ideals. Tunisia and Algeria are Arab countries and democratic and politically more stable than Egypt. Watch your OIL. orunmila, edmonton |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:46 GMT 21:46 UK No. President Obama will not change US policy towards Africa. What the president said in Ghana is not new. The only new thing is the person saying it. He is visibly different from his predecessors. All African leaders know that he is one of their own and as such is at liberty to speak without any fear of being labelled a western rascist. Obama knows that too and inevitably Africa will change as a result of Obama but the US policy will remain the same. Besides, young Africans adore Obama. Chamutengure, Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:41 GMT 21:41 UK Mr.Barack Obama message in Ghana Parliament is to covey that all countries & continents have to develope themselves true to their culture & needs. He emphasised the need to develope & nurture democracy with accountability at the top free from corruption as well begin development & progress from the bottom line & not from the top. He emphasised & offered to help in various forms in the culture,economy,trade & commerce, education, technology & science of developement of infrastructure to progress. amarjit, los angeles |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:40 GMT 21:40 UK US President Barack Obama has said Africa must take charge of its own destiny in the world. Do I agree? |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:36 GMT 21:36 UK Oh right, so when the IMF demand that African nations agree to wreck their economies in exchange for loans (which has been going on for decades) those nations should stand up for themselves and tell them to get lost? Sounds like a good idea. Steve Gubbins, United Kingdom |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:36 GMT 21:36 UK "I prefer the Chinese approach to rebuilding African countries. They have been busy building roads, bridges and other infrastructure in helping countries such as the Sudan to modernize. America simply gives money and food ..." Jacques Bouvier, United States |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:35 GMT 21:35 UK Obama is not the first US President to visit Africa...Clinton's done it, so has Bush...The African continent is also divided along linguistic lines, French, English, even Italian....The countries like Senegal, Cameroon, Ghana, S Africa may have a real chance to compete for the riches in an out-sourced world..But Zimbabwe, Congo, Rwanda still remain its darkest corners...Obama can help..but only to the few privileged ones...Rwanda and Darfur is where he should also focus... Vara Li, Chicago |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:34 GMT 21:34 UK I heard the Obama speech in Ghana, aimed at Africans and the World at large. Even though I do not support the bad leadership in my country (and do speak against it whenever possible), I am disappointed that Obama is being partial in his diplomacy. While he seeks to "engage" the Middle East people, he seeks to "avoid" countries in Africa he does not agree with! How can a black man come to Africa and not visit the most populous black nation on earth! He ought to engage Nigeria like the Middle East Rev Peter Iordaah, Kaduna, Nigeria |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:27 GMT 21:27 UK He will make minor, ineffectual changes in US policy toward African nations. Obama has shown no will toward supplying peacekeeping troops or massive deployments as we've seen in Iraq and Iran, mostly because he, like all the other US politicians, know that Africa has no valuable resources to offer the United States and are therefore not worth the trouble. The New Anarchist, Georgetown, TX |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:26 GMT 21:26 UK Obama only told Africans what they should have known all along. The preacherly attitude of Obama sort of belittles Africa and makes our leaders look like the little infants they make themselves to be. It is a shame that at this era when man has been to the moon and back, African leaders have by their greed dehumanised their people and turned them into simpletons to be lectured to by everybody, even if that person is the president of the United States of America. ChiefBisong Etahoben, Yaounde, Cameroon |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:24 GMT 21:24 UK The visit of President OBAMA to Ghana has really stack out to Me! and i believe he is honest and will keep to his words in respect for change in Africa it's just up to African to support one another and do away with selfishness with this i think Africa will have want it really in need of. Yakub, Accra |
| Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 20:17 GMT 21:17 UK Obama always speaks well but unable to deliver his promises. He will never change Africa but Africans. Dawit, Saint Louis |
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