Obama says Africa events affect rest of the world
ACCRA, Ghana — President Barack Obama said his visit to Ghana on Saturday was designed to illustrate that "Africa is not separate from world affairs."
Obama said events in Africa do not lose their effects at the continent's borders and said Africa is a fully integrated part of the global economy.
"What happens here has an impact everywhere," Obama said during a meeting with Ghanaian President John Atta Mills.
Obama scheduled a 21-hour visit to the West African nation to highlight that country's democratic tradition and engagement with the West. During his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa since taking office, Obama sought to lift up the continent of his ancestors — while keeping its emotions in check.
Greeted by a rush of excitement on his arrival here, the United States' first black president planned a speech to Ghana's Parliament on Saturday outlining his hope for a future Africa prospering in democracy. He was also visiting a hospital and a one-time slave trading post, joined by his wife, Michelle, a great-great granddaughter of slaves.
But his speech also was pitched as a sobering account of Africa's enduring afflictions: hunger, disease, corruption, ethnic strife and strongman rule.
No big public event was planned — in part for fear it could cause a celebratory stampede, as a 1998 stop by President Bill Clinton almost did.
"I can say without any fear of contradiction that all Ghanaians want to see you. I wish it were possible for me to send you to every home in Ghana," Mills said, underscoring the U.S. first family's popularity that gave them Page One billing in many of the nation's newspapers.
People lined the streets Saturday morning, many waving at every vehicle of Obama's motorcade as it headed toward a meeting at Osu Castle, the storied coastline presidential state house.
Obama planned to highlight Ghana's successes during a midday speech, urging Africans to embrace a future of accountable leaders and open markets. To ensure a wide audience, the administration organized events for the public to watch video of Obama's speech across Africa.
He flew to Ghana after the G-8 summit in Italy approved a $20 billion food security plan. It aims to help poor nations in Africa and elsewhere avert mass starvation during the global recession.
