Monitor
Kampala
US President Barack Obama, for the first time, collectively met 25 Sub-Saharan Africa government leaders in New York on Tuesday, telling them to eliminate corruption and prioritise job creation, particularly for youth.
At the lunch time meeting, Mr Obama stressed that a prosperous and peaceful Africa "is vital to the interests of the United States and the rest of the world and that Africa's future is up to Africans."
A statement on the White House website, quoting Ms Michelle Gavin, the special assistant to President Obama/senior director for African Affairs, who attended the meeting, says the discussions focused on increasing trade and investment, particularly in agriculture.
The new US administration in July announced $3.5 billion (Shs7 trillion) to develop new methods and technologies to help African farmers increase productivity to help bolster food security.
In Tuesday's briefing, Ms Gavin reportedly told journalists that Mr Obama spoke "very briefly" and listening more to African leaders, describing the meeting not just a "one off" but a start of sustained dialogue, which will soon be expanded to accommodate civil society and private sector actors.
"The discussions focused on how we can forge stronger partnerships to create more opportunity for Africans; the idea of looking beyond emergencies and crises, out into the future," Ms Gavin told journalists.
Mr Obama reportedly re-emphasised, to the African leaders, the broad themes of democracy, opportunity, health, and the peaceful resolution of conflict that he outlined in Ghana in July as cornerstones for the future of developing countries.
Presidents Paul Kagame and Jakaya Kikwete of the neighbouring Rwanda and Tanzania as well as Liberia's Sir Johnson Sirleaf were the only three of the twenty-five African leaders who on Tuesday opened up topical discussions on Africa's salient development issues.
Mr Kagame, whose Rwanda is named in the latest World Bank's "Doing Business" report as the world's top reformer, said America should assist African governments to create favourable environment for investment and long-term growth.
He stressed the importance of regional initiatives and infrastructure development while Kikwete proposed specific interventions to spur an agriculture-led economic growth on the continent.
The African leaders later randomly discussed the topical issues, including Ms Sirleaf's proposal for balancing educational and employment opportunities. They did not agree on anything concrete.
Mr Tamale Mirundi, the Presidential Press Secretary, yesterday said he was unsure if President Museveni attended the landmark meeting held on the side lines of the ongoing 64th UN General Assembly.
US officials explained that African Union chairman, Col. Muammmar Gaddafi did not participate in the discussions because Libya is not a Sub-Saharan state. Instead, AU Commissioner Jean Ping represented the continental body.
Kampala
US President Barack Obama, for the first time, collectively met 25 Sub-Saharan Africa government leaders in New York on Tuesday, telling them to eliminate corruption and prioritise job creation, particularly for youth.
At the lunch time meeting, Mr Obama stressed that a prosperous and peaceful Africa "is vital to the interests of the United States and the rest of the world and that Africa's future is up to Africans."
A statement on the White House website, quoting Ms Michelle Gavin, the special assistant to President Obama/senior director for African Affairs, who attended the meeting, says the discussions focused on increasing trade and investment, particularly in agriculture.
The new US administration in July announced $3.5 billion (Shs7 trillion) to develop new methods and technologies to help African farmers increase productivity to help bolster food security.
In Tuesday's briefing, Ms Gavin reportedly told journalists that Mr Obama spoke "very briefly" and listening more to African leaders, describing the meeting not just a "one off" but a start of sustained dialogue, which will soon be expanded to accommodate civil society and private sector actors.
"The discussions focused on how we can forge stronger partnerships to create more opportunity for Africans; the idea of looking beyond emergencies and crises, out into the future," Ms Gavin told journalists.
Mr Obama reportedly re-emphasised, to the African leaders, the broad themes of democracy, opportunity, health, and the peaceful resolution of conflict that he outlined in Ghana in July as cornerstones for the future of developing countries.
Presidents Paul Kagame and Jakaya Kikwete of the neighbouring Rwanda and Tanzania as well as Liberia's Sir Johnson Sirleaf were the only three of the twenty-five African leaders who on Tuesday opened up topical discussions on Africa's salient development issues.
Mr Kagame, whose Rwanda is named in the latest World Bank's "Doing Business" report as the world's top reformer, said America should assist African governments to create favourable environment for investment and long-term growth.
He stressed the importance of regional initiatives and infrastructure development while Kikwete proposed specific interventions to spur an agriculture-led economic growth on the continent.
The African leaders later randomly discussed the topical issues, including Ms Sirleaf's proposal for balancing educational and employment opportunities. They did not agree on anything concrete.
Mr Tamale Mirundi, the Presidential Press Secretary, yesterday said he was unsure if President Museveni attended the landmark meeting held on the side lines of the ongoing 64th UN General Assembly.
US officials explained that African Union chairman, Col. Muammmar Gaddafi did not participate in the discussions because Libya is not a Sub-Saharan state. Instead, AU Commissioner Jean Ping represented the continental body.
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