U.S. President Barack Obama and his host and counterpart, President Uhuru Kenyatta, officially opened the sixth annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi on Saturday. In an opening speech, Obama said the U.S. would donate $1 billion to establish "entrepreneurship centers" in Kenya, Zambia and Mali to promote private enterprise among young women. "If more global capital could see beyond prejudicial blinders, the great progress of the last ten years could harness potential," Obama said. "It is time we changed the narrative about Africa." "If half of your team is not playing, you have a problem," the U.S. president declared. "In many countries, half of the team is women and youth."
Obama went on to urge U.S. investors to explore the opportunities available in the African market. "Do not be distracted by some of the stereotypes being promoted about Africa," he asserted. "Come and invest." "I am proud of what Kenya has done so far," Obama added. "I urge more global leaders to come to Kenya, Africa." Kenyatta, for his part, welcomed his U.S. counterpart to Kenya, likewise urging international investors not to shy away from Africa. "You all know that, for a decade now, the economies of Africa have been the fastest-growing in the world," he said. "Behind these growth statistics is the story of a new generation of Africans committed to an African renaissance," Kenyatta declared. He added: "You, the entrepreneurs in this room today, who have come from all corners of the globe, are our hope in this task." Kenyatta went on to cite Kenya's vibrant culture, spectacular natural beauty and infinite potential.
Shortly afterward, Obama visited a memorial built to those killed in a 1998 terrorist attack on the U.S. embassy in Nairobi, where he laid a wreath in their memory. Obama and Kenyatta spent the afternoon at the latter's official residence at State House, where they met with a number of Kenyan government officials, including Deputy President Wiliam Ruto. Obama received a 21-gun salute, after which he inspected a Kenyan guard-of-honor before holding a press conference.
Speaking to reporters, the U.S. president said Washington planned to increase aid to Kenya with a view to helping the East African nation fight terrorism in the Horn of Africa region. "There has been extensive and effective counter-terrorism cooperation between the U.S. and Kenya, dealing primarily with threats from [Somali militant group] Al-Shabaab," Obama said. "Because of the actions that we have taken-not just with Kenya, but with Uganda, Ethiopia and others-we have systematically reduced the territory that Al-Shabaab controls," he declared. "What we discussed [with Kenyatta] was the importance of continuing to root out Al-Shabaab's capacity inside Somalia," Obama added. "Part of our announcement today involves additional assistance that we are providing to Kenyan security forces to deal with any kind of terrorism threats, as well as additional training," the U.S. president said. Obama also called for promoting gay rights in Africa, saying everyone deserved to be treated equally. "I've been consistent all across Africa on this. When you start treating people differently, because they're different, that's the path whereby freedoms begin to erode and bad things happen," Obama said. "As an African-American in the United States, I am painfully aware of what happens when people are treated differently under the law. I am unequivocal on this," he added. He urged African governments to treat all law-abiding citizens equally and avoid what he called "homophobia."
Kenyatta, for his part, respectfully disagreed with his U.S. counterpart's views on homosexuality, reaffirming his country's traditional stand on the issue. "There are some things that we must admit we don't share," he said. "It's very difficult for us to impose on people that which they themselves do not accept." "This is why I say, for Kenyans today, the issue of gay rights is really a non-issue," Kenyatta asserted. As for the issue of official corruption, Obama described the phenomenon as a thorn in the side of many African nations and one of the biggest impediments to Kenya's growth. "It is important for the people of Kenya to say this is not the way to do business, and to say no to corruption at every level," he declared. Obama went on to urge the Kenyan government to guarantee that all workers were paid a fair wage and received benefits sufficient to ensure they weren't tempted to engage in corrupt practices. The U.S. president concluded by noting that, after his retirement, he planned to come back to Kenya with his wife and two daughters with a view to helping the country-his father's homeland-realize its potential.
