How Empires Deal with History: Obama Tells Africa to Stop Blaming West
Posted by Mike E on July 12, 2009
The following appeared in the UK’s telegraph, 09 Jul 2009. (Thanks to Koba.)
Barack Obama tells Africa to stop blaming colonialism for problems
President Barack Obama has told African leaders it is time to stop blaming colonialism and “Western oppression” for the continent’s manifold problems.
By Alex Spillius in Washington
Ahead of a visit to Ghana at the weekend, he said:
“Ultimately, I’m a big believer that Africans are responsible for Africa. I think part of what’s hampered advancement in Africa is that for many years we’ve made excuses about corruption or poor governance, that this was somehow the consequence of neo-colonialism, or the West has been oppressive, or racism – I’m not a big – I’m not a believer in excuses.”
Mr Obama, the son of a Kenyan, added:
“I’d say I’m probably as knowledgeable about African history as anybody who’s occupied my office. And I can give you chapter and verse on why the colonial maps that were drawn helped to spur on conflict, and the terms of trade that were uneven emerging out of colonialism.
“And yet the fact is we’re in 2009. The West and the United States has not been responsible for what’s happened to Zimbabwe’s economy over the last 15 or 20 years.
“It hasn’t been responsible for some of the disastrous policies that we’ve seen elsewhere in Africa. And I think that it’s very important for African leadership to take responsibility and be held accountable.”
Mr Obama told AllAfrica.com that he chose Ghana for his first trip to the continent as president to highlight the country’s development as a democracy.
Providing glimpses of a speech to be delivered in Accra on Saturday, he explained: “Ghana has now undergone a couple of successful elections in which power was transferred peacefully, even a very close election.”
Mr Obama made it clear that Kenya’s ongoing instability had ruled out his father’s homeland as an initial destination, despite the euphoria it would have produced.
zerohour said
Coincidentally, there is very little commentary about Obama’s main purpose in Africa. He didn’t go there to give a speech about democracy and colonialism, he went to secure oil shipments: http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/finance/obamas-ghana-trip-linked-new-oil-strategy-african-continent-says-gold-star-92769403/
Obama’s Ghana Trip Linked To New U.S. Oil Strategy on African Continent, says Gold Star Resources CEO
“U.S. President Barack Obama’s trip to Ghana on July 10th-11th is a subtle White House oil strategy to secure another source of energy on the continent of Africa,” says Patrick Morris, Chief Executive Officer of Gold Star Resources Corp. (TSX-V; GXX; OTC Bulletin Board: GXXFF; http://www.goldstarresources.com). Gold Star Resources is a Vancouver-based company seeking high-impact ‘onshore’ oil and gas opportunities in Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana in West Africa. The company recently announced its acquisition of International Resources Strategies Liberia Energy Inc. (IRSLE). Gold Star also announced that it signed a Letter-of-Intent with Bengal Bight Ghana to acquire 100% of the hydrocarbon rights to the Tampoum mining concession, approximately 1,000 square km, in Cote d’Ivoire.
According to Morris, “The U.S. Department of Energy has already confirmed that the United States will be importing over 770 million barrels of African oil annually by the year 2020. The U.S. National Intelligence Council is projecting that 25 percent of U.S. oil imports will come from West Africa by 2015 compared to 15% today. My own professional experience tells me that the political stability of Ghana’s government, a credible democratic political party system, and a positive investment environment all favor closer ties to Ghanaians by the Obama White House.”
Morris also pointed out that he’s confident that President Obama “will work with the Ghana Government and people to help them realize their own potential through job creation in the energy resource sector. I believe that Africa has seen but a glimpse of its potential in oil and gas discoveries in West Africa. The new U.S. President has obviously taken notice of this fact.”
“Obama’s Ghana trip is a smart game plan to strengthen U.S. ties with its West African allies and create new alliances that would ultimately secure U.S. energy interests on the African continent,” concluded Morris.