U.S. President Obama Gives Speech in Ghana

U.S. President Barack Obama made a visit to Ghana where only two other President have visited since 1957. The 44th President spoke in front of Ghana's Parliament Saturday to give congratulations, warnings and charity.

“Despite the progress that has been made -- and there has been considerable progress in parts of Africa -- we also know that much of that promise has yet to be fulfilled,” U.S. President Barack Obama said in a speech in front of Ghana’s Parliament Saturday where he gave praise to the continent’s achievements but iterated that he condemned the wars calling them "millstone around Africa's neck." Ghana is one of the continent’s leading economic countries, which has made significant progress next to countries like Botswana or Mozambique. However, Mr. Obama also said that there were terrible conditions in places like Zimbabwe, Sudan, Congo and Liberia where financial collapse is persistent and violence is a daily occurrence. “The people of Ghana have worked hard to put democracy on a firmer footing, with peaceful transfers of power even in the wake of closely contested elections. And with improved governance and an emerging civil society, Ghana's economy has shown impressive rates of growth.” After Pres. Obama’s speech, he, as well as his wife, Michelle Obama and his two daughters, visited Cape Coast Castle, a famous fort used in the transatlantic slave-trade crossings. After the tour he said, “As Americans, as African-Americans obviously, there's a special sense that on the one hand this place was a place of profound sadness, on the other hand. It is here where the journey of much of the African-American experience began.” Pres. Obama has committed $63 billion to a comprehensive global strategy. However, that does not take into account the Global Poverty Act of 2007, a bill introduced when he was a Senator and was co-authored by Sen. Hagel and Sen. Cantwell, which is also part of the United Nations' Millenium Development Goa. The bill would commit $854 billion over eleven years and on the Global Poverty Act website the then Senator Barack Obama stated, “We can – and must – make it a priority of our foreign policy to commit to eliminating extreme poverty and ensuring every child has food, shelter, and clean drinking water. As we strive to rebuild America’s standing in the world, this legislation will not only commit to reducing global poverty, but will also demonstrate our promise and support to those in the developing world." During his speech in front of the African nation, Pres. Obama also gave kudos to former President George W. Bush, “Building on the strong efforts of President [George W.] Bush, we will carry forward the fight against HIV/AIDS. We will pursue the goal of ending deaths from malaria and tuberculosis, and we will work to eradicate polio. We will fight neglected tropical disease. And we won't confront illnesses in isolation -- we will invest in public health systems that promote wellness, and focus on the health of mothers and children.” Only three U.S. Presidents have visited the nation since 1957; Pres. Bill Clinton, Pres. George W. Bush, as part of a four-nation African tour, and now Pres. Barack Obama. But Pres. Obama will not visit any other African nation on this trip.