Africa needs a strong civil society: Obama

Dakar, Sunday

President Barack Obama has pledged to help build effective legal systems, strong civil society organisations and legislatures in Africa in a bid to galvanise the democratisation process.

A statement issued in Washington at the weekend quoted the president as saying that these institutions need to be strengthened in order to ensure that human rights are protected.

The American president made the statement on Friday when he met with the presidents of four Francophone West African countries at the White House in Washington.

The four included newly elected presidents Alpha  Condé of Guinea, Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire and Mahmadou Issoufou of Niger — who were meeting with the American president for the first time — and president Boni Yayi of Benin.

“All these leaders were elected through free and fair elections,” Mr Obama observed, adding, “they have shown extraordinary persistence in wanting to promote democracy in their countries despite significant risks to their own personal safety.”

Mr Obama described the four as an embodiment of Africa democratic progress which he said was “vital to a stable, prosperous and just Africa”.

He insisted that it was necessary to galvanise the democratic gains in Africa because “that was critical to the stability and prosperity of the world.”

President Obama reiterated his government’s readiness to work in partnership with the four leaders to build economic progress in their respective countries.

On the issue of security, President Obama pledged his country’s support to help the West African regional bloc (Ecowas) to forestall terrorism threats and resolve conflicts peacefully.