Obama Opens First Visit to Ethiopia by US President

While in Ethiopia, Obama will also meet with regional leaders to discuss the crisis in South Sudan.

Obama will also visit the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Ababa, where the president will hold a bilateral meeting with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission, and other officials at the pan-African bloc.

“It is also another concrete step to broaden and deepen the relationship between the AU and the US”, she said.

US President Barack Obama says “Africa is on the move”, as he praised the spirit of entrepreneurship…

The visit is expected to offer the opportunity for both Dlamini-Zuma and Obama to further the discussions held in June 2013 in South Africa, and during the U.S.-Africa Summit in August 2014 in Washington DC, said the statement.

Among the important issues will be skills revolution to provide the youth with employment opportunities; industrialisation and infrastructiural development and agro-processing.

“But, beyond trade, we are looking at investment”.

This particular trip has been criticised because of Kenya and Ethiopia’s poor human rights record.

Mwencha said Africa is looking for a way to strengthen economic ties with the United States, particularly with Obama’s signing last month of a 10-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the U.S.’ main trading authority with Africa.

Mwencha said Africa looks forward to having more countries added to the list of AGOA eligible countries. “There is potential to expand the product but also countries that can benefit from AGOA”, Mwencha said.

But Obama said challenges remained and he urged Kenyans, particularly its future leaders, to deal with corruption and tribal conflict, create opportunity for all, improve education and health care, treat women better and confront the threat of terrorism.

Obama traced the history of Kenya’s evolution, from colonialism and isolation to independence and global engagement.

Obama’s visit is his fourth trip to Africa – the most of any sitting American president.