Obama wants equal rights for gays

Gays and lesbians should be treated like other people under the law in Africa, US President Barack Obama has said.

This is despite the fact that homosexuality is illegal in most countries on the continent.

“My basic view is that regardless of race, regardless of religion, regardless of gender, regardless of sexual orientation, when it comes to the law, people should be treated equally,” Mr Obama said in Senegal Thursday.

He, however, said the issue of same sex marriages was the prerogative of individual countries.

The US leader expressed satisfaction with democratic and economic development in many African countries over the last decade. He also expressed confidence in the capability of African youth and revealed plans to support them further in promoting social, economic and political development.

Addressing a joint press conference with his Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall in Dakar, Mr Obama called on African leaders to boost their bilateral ties to win the confidence of international partners.

He challenged them to work hard in protecting and guaranteeing citizen rights, which he said were fundamental in building strong democracies.

African countries, he said, needed to increase trade agreements, encourage  investment in agriculture, maximize production and aim at huge and diversified exports.

Once this is done, he said, Africa would be on the right path to overcoming unemployment, which he said was the main setback to the development.

The American leader said his choice of Senegal to begin his tour was due to the fact that the country was the most stable and also because “it is our strongest partner in this region”.

He lauded Senegal for deploying up to 5,000 soldiers in peacekeeping mission across the continent and pledged to strengthen his country’s military cooperation with Dakar. Responding to the issue of same sex marriages, President Sall said that given the prevailing social and traditional beliefs, “our country was not ready to embrace the phenomenon.”