Obama a real charmer at student gig
US President Barack Obama may be a jaded figure, tarnished by five long years of power and compromise. But hell, he can talk the hind leg off a continent.
Most of the young hearts and minds in his audience in Soweto yesterday were safely won before he opened his mouth. The crowd, dominated by University of Johannesburg students, sang a goose-bumpy rendition of Shosholoza in anticipation of his arrival, to the apparent bafflement of his officials.
And to be fair, most of the half-dozen questions he fielded were soft in the middle. But Obama’s ability to articulate the power of the liberal dream remains compelling. If he is indeed a horrible imperialist — as the protestors at the gates believe — then we could use a few horrible imperialists in the ranks of African leadership.
In his lengthy answers to questions from Kenyans, Ugandans, Nigerians and South Africans, Obama made a case for the US’s continuing relevance to the dreams of African youth. To start, he sang the praises of four young Africans — journalist Khadija Patel, biotech entrepreneur Fred Swaniker, HIV activist Jacob Jabari and domestic violence NGO leader Lebo Bogapane.
“I believe in you,” he declared. “Everywhere I go in Africa, people want to break out of the dependency trap. What we need is an Africa that is building, manufacturing, creating value, inventing. Africa cannot just be a source of raw materials.”
He was also frank about the US’s material interest in rising African wealth.
“If Africa’s doing well then we have a bigger market of people who want to buy iPads and Boeings and all the other good stuff we sell. Africa is the youngest continent, so demographically it’s going to be a larger and larger share of the global market.”
Obama expressed his confidence that the Agoa trade agreement — which gives dutyfree access to the US market for African exporting countries, including South Africa — would be renewed. “We will have to engage in some negotiations to improve it, but also reflect on the fact that South Africa is more successful. US businesses have to feel that they’re getting a fair deal.”
When a Kenyan asked via video link why Obama had skipped his father’s homeland during this African tour, he said that the International Criminal Court’s case against new President Uhuru Kenyatta had been a factor. “I did not think it was the optimal time to visit,” he said.
He dismissed the idea that his African trip was driven by anx-
What we need is an Africa that is building, creating value, inventing
iety about expanding Chinese investment in Africa. “I think everybody should be involved in Africa. China, Brazil, everybody . . . come on down. Six of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world are right here.”
But he was frank about his dim view of leadership in many African countries. “The first priority is transparent, accountable, non-corrupt, open government. Economic development is not going to happen in the absence of that certainty. You don’t want to have to pay a bribe to start a business, or hire someone’s cousin. Let’s be honest: in a lot of countries, that’s often the case.”
And he defended his record on securing peace.
“I was elected to end a war. I’ve ended one, and am in the process of ending another. Every week I’m writing letters to the families of fallen soldiers. Sometimes I go to Arlington cemetery and hug those family [members] and feel their sobs on my shoulder.”