Category: APO-OPA

WASHINGTON, August 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Washington, D.C.

3:20 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. Thank you. Please be seated. Well, good afternoon, everybody. To Mayor Bloomberg, thank you — not only for the kind introduction, but to Bloomberg Philanthropies as our co-host, and for the great work that you’re doing across Africa to help create jobs, and promote public health, encourage entrepreneurship, especially women. So thank you very much, Michael, for your leadership. I want to thank our other co-host — my great friend and tireless Commerce Secretary, Penny Pritzker. (Applause.)

I want to welcome all of our partners who are joining us from across Africa — heads of state and government, and let me welcome the delegations from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, with whom we are working so urgently to control the Ebola outbreak and whose citizens are in our thoughts and prayers today. I also want to welcome Madame Chairperson Dlamini-Zuma of the African Union Commission; President of the African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka; as well as the President of the World Bank, Dr. Jim Kim. Please give them all a round of applause. (Applause.)

And I want to acknowledge members of Congress who are here and who are such great champions of Africa’s engagement with — America’s engagement with Africa. In a city that does not always agree on much these days, there is broad bipartisan agreement that a secure, prosperous and self-reliant Africa is in the national interest of the United States.

And most of all, I want to thank all of you — the business leaders, the entrepreneurs both from the United States and from across Africa who are creating jobs and opportunity for our people every day. And I want to acknowledge leaders from across my administration who, like Penny, are your partners, including our U.S. Trade Representative, Mike Froman; USAID Administrator Raj Shah; and our new head of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Dana Hyde; President of the Export-Import Bank, Fred Hochberg; Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, Lee Zak; and our President and CEO of OPIC, Elizabeth Littlefield.

So we are here, of course, as part of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit — the largest gathering any American President has ever hosted with African heads of state and government. And this summit reflects a perspective that has guided my approach to Africa as President. Even as Africa continues to face enormous challenges, even as too many Africans still endure poverty and conflict, hunger and disease, even as we work together to meet those challenges, we cannot lose sight of the new Africa that’s emerging.

We all know what makes Africa such an extraordinary opportunity. Some of the fastest-growing economies in the world. A growing middle class. Expanding sectors like manufacturing and retail. One of the fastest-growing telecommunications markets in the world. More governments are reforming, attracting a record level of foreign investment. It is the youngest and fastest-growing continent, with young people that are full of dreams and ambition.

Last year in South Africa, in Soweto, I held a town hall with young men and women from across the continent, including some who joined us by video from Uganda. And one young Ugandan woman spoke for many Africans when she said to me, “We are looking to the world for equal business partners and commitments, and not necessarily aid. We want to do [business] at home and be the ones to own our own markets.” That’s a sentiment we hear over and over again. When I was traveling throughout Africa last year, what I heard was the desire of Africans not just for aid, but for trade and development that actually helps nations grow and empowers Africans for the long term.

As President, I’ve made it clear that the United States is determined to be a partner in Africa’s success — a good partner, an equal partner, and a partner for the long term. (Applause.) We don’t look to Africa simply for its natural resources; we recognize Africa for its greatest resource, which is its people and its talents and their potential. (Applause.) We don’t simply want to extract minerals from the ground for our growth; we want to build genuine partnerships that create jobs and opportunity for all our peoples and that unleash the next era of African growth. That’s the kind of partnership America offers.

And since I took office, we’ve stepped up our efforts across the board. More investments in Africa; more trade missions, like the one Penny led this year; and more support for U.S. exports. And I’m proud — I’m proud that American exports to Africa have grown to record levels, supporting jobs in Africa and the United States, including a quarter of a million good American jobs.

But here’s the thing: Our entire trade with all of Africa is still only about equal to our trade with Brazil — one country. Of all the goods we export to the world, only about one percent goes to Sub-Saharan Africa. So we’ve got a lot of work to do. We have to do better — much better. I want Africans buying more American products. I want Americans buying more African products. I know you do, too. And that’s what you’re doing today. (Applause.)

So I’m pleased that in conjunction with this forum, American companies are announcing major new deals in Africa. Blackstone will invest in African energy projects. Coca-Cola will partner with Africa to bring clean water to its communities. GE will help build African infrastructure. Marriott will build more hotels. All told, American companies — many with our trade assistance — are announcing new deals in clean energy, aviation, banking, and construction worth more than $14 billion, spurring development across Africa and selling more goods stamped with that proud label, “Made in America.”

And I don’t want to just sustain this momentum, I want to up it. I want to up our game. So today I’m announcing a series of steps to take our trade with Africa to the next level.

First, we’re going to keep working to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act — and enhance it. (Applause.) We still do the vast majority of our trade with just three countries — South Africa, Nigeria and Angola. It’s still heavily weighted towards the energy sector. We need more Africans, including women and small- and medium-sized businesses, getting their goods to market. And leaders in Congress — Democrats and Republicans — have said they want to move forward. So I’m optimistic we can work with Congress to renew and modernize AGOA before it expires, renew it for the long term. We need to get that done. (Applause.)

Second, as part of our “Doing Business in Africa” campaign, we’re going to do even more to help American companies compete. We’ll put even more of our teams on the ground, advocating on behalf of your companies. We’re going to send even more trade missions. Today, we’re announcing $7 billion in new financing to promote American exports to Africa. Earlier today, I signed an executive order to create a new President’s advisory council of business leaders to help make sure we’re doing everything we can to help you do business in Africa. (Applause.)

And I would be remiss if I did not add that House Republicans can help by reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank. That is the right thing to do. (Applause.) I was trying to explain to somebody that if I’ve got a Ford dealership and the Toyota dealership is providing financing to anybody who walks in the dealership and I’m not, I’m going to lose business. It’s pretty straightforward. We need to get that reauthorized. (Applause.) And you business leaders can help make clear that it is critical to U.S. business.

Number three, we want to partner with Africa to build the infrastructure that economies need to flourish. And that starts with electricity, which most Africans still lack. That’s why last year while traveling throughout the continent, I announced a bold initiative, Power Africa, to double access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa and help bring electricity to more than 20 million African homes and businesses.

Now, we’ve joined with African governments, the African Development Bank, and the private sector — and I will tell you, the response has exceeded our projections. It has been overwhelming. Already, projects and negotiations are underway that, when completed, will put us nearly 80 percent of the way toward our goal. On top of the significant resources we’ve already committed, I’m announcing that the United States will increase our pledge to $300 million a year for this effort.

And as of today — including an additional $12 billion in new commitments being announced this week by our private sector partners and the World Bank and the government of Sweden — we’ve now mobilized a total of more than $26 billion to Power Africa just since we announced it — $26 billion. (Applause.) So today we’re raising the bar. We decided we’re meeting our goal too easily, Zuma, so we’ve got to go up. So we’re tripling our goal, aiming to bring electricity to more than 60 million African homes and businesses that can spark growth for decades to come. (Applause.)

Fourth, we’ll do more to help Africans trade with each other, because the markets with the greatest potential are often the countries right next door. And it should not be harder to export your goods to your neighbor than it is to export those goods to Los Angeles or to Amsterdam. (Applause.) So through our Trade Africa initiative, we’ll increase our investments to help our African partners build their own capacity to trade, to strengthen regional markets, make borders more efficient, modernize the customs system. We want to get African goods moving faster within Africa, as well as outside of Africa.

And finally, we’re doing more to empower the next generation of African entrepreneurs and business leaders — it’s young men and women, like our extraordinary Mandela Washington Fellows that I met with last week. And I have to say to the heads of state and government, you would have been extraordinarily proud to meet these young people who exhibit so much talent and so much energy and so much drive.

With new Regional Leadership Centers and online courses, we’re going to offer training and networking for tens of thousands of young entrepreneurs across Africa. New grants will help them access the capital they need to grow. Our annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit this year will be held in Morocco. Next year, it will be held for the first time in Sub-Saharan Africa — because we want to make sure that all that talent is tapped and they have access to the capital and the networks and the markets that they need to succeed. Because if they succeed, then the countries in which they live will succeed. They’ll create jobs. They’ll create growth. They’ll create opportunity.

So the bottom line is the United States is making a major and long-term investment in Africa’s progress. And taken together, the new commitments I’ve described today — across our government and by our many partners — total some $33 billion. And that will support development across Africa and jobs here in the United States. Up to tens of thousands of American jobs are supported every time we expand trade with Africa.

As critical as all these investments are, the key to unlocking the next era of African growth is not going to be here in the United States, it’s going to be in Africa. And so, during this week’s summit, we’ll be discussing a whole range of areas where we’re going to have to work together — areas that are important in their own right, but which are also essential to Africa’s growth.

Capital is one thing. Development programs and projects are one thing. But rule of law, regulatory reform, good governance — those things matter even more, because people should be able to start a business and ship their goods without having to pay a bribe or hire somebody’s cousin.

Agricultural development is critical because it’s the best way to boost incomes for the majority of Africans who are farmers, especially as they deal with the impacts of climate change.

Rebuilding a strong health infrastructure, especially for mothers and children, is critical because no country can prosper unless its citizens are healthy and strong, and children are starting off with the advantages they need to grow to their full potential.

And we’re going to have to talk about security and peace, because the future belongs to those who build, not those who destroy. And it’s very hard to attract business investment, and it’s very hard to build infrastructure, and it’s very hard to sustain entrepreneurship in the midst of conflict.

So I just want to close with one example of what trade can help us build together. Kusum Kavia was born in Kenya; her family was originally from India. Eventually, she emigrated to the United States and along with her husband started a small business in California. It started off as a small engineering firm. Then it started manufacturing small power generators. With the help of the Export-Import Bank — including seminars and a line of credit and risk insurance — they started exporting power generators to West Africa. In Benin, they helped build a new electric power plant.

And it’s ended up being a win-win for everybody. It’s been a win for their company, Combustion Associates, because exports to Africa have boosted their sales, which means they’ve been able to hire more workers here in the United States. They partner with GE; GE is doing well. Most of their revenues are from exports to Africa. It’s been a win for their suppliers in Texas and Ohio and New York. It’s been a win for Benin and its people, because more electricity for families and businesses, jobs for Africans at the power plant because the company hires locally and trains those workers. And they hope to keep expanding as part of our Power Africa initiative.

So this is an example of just one small business. Imagine if we can replicate that success across our countries.

Kusum says, “When our customers see the label, ‘Made in America,’ when they see our flag, it puts us above all the competition.” And her vision for their company is the same vision that brings us all here today. She says, “We really want to have a long-term partnership with Africa.” So Kusum is here. I had a chance to meet her backstage. Where is she? Right there. Stand up, Kusum. So she’s doing great work. Thank you so much. (Applause.)

But she’s an example of what’s possible — a long-term partnership with Africa. And that’s what America offers. That’s what we’re building. That’s the difference we can make when Africans and Americans work together. So let’s follow Kusum’s lead. Let’s do even more business together. Let’s tear down barriers that slow us down and get in the way of trade. Let’s build up the infrastructure — the roads, the bridges, the ports, the electricity — that connect our countries. Let’s create more and sell more and buy more from each other. I’m confident that we can. And when we do, we won’t just propel the next era of African growth, we’ll create more jobs and opportunity for everybody — for people here in the United States and for people around the world.

So thank you very much, everybody, for what so far has been an outstanding session. And I’ve got the opportunity to speak to this young man. (Applause.)

Q So thank you very much, Mr. President for this opportunity. I’ll start by wishing you a belated Happy Birthday.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

Q Thank you very much. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Have you introduced yourself to everybody?

Q I wanted to really jump into the issues. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, go ahead and introduce yourself.

Q All right. I’m Takunda Chingonzo. I’m a young entrepreneur. I’m 21. I’m from Zimbabwe. And I’m working in the wireless technology space. We’re essentially liberating the Internet for Zimbabweans. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: And let me just — this is an example of our young African leaders; in fact, the youngest young African leader. But one thing I will say, though, if you’re going to promote your business, you’ve got to make sure to let people know who you are. (Laughter.)

Q Definitely, definitely.

THE PRESIDENT: Just a little tip.

Q Definitely.

THE PRESIDENT: You can’t be shy, man. (Laughter.) Please, go ahead.

Q That’s correct, Mr. President. So I was really going to start by delving into a personal experience. I was going to get to my business and how I got to where we are.

So as I was saying, we’re working in the technology space. I’m working on my third startup — it’s called Saisai. We’re creating Zimbabwe’s first free Internet-access network, hence liberating the Internet. So in our working, we came to a point in time where we needed to import a bit of technology from the United States, and so we were engaging in conversation with these U.S.-based businesses. And the response that we got time and time again was that unfortunately we cannot do business with you because you are from Zimbabwe. And I was shocked — this doesn’t make sense.

And so this is the exact same experience that other entrepreneurs that are in Zimbabwe have gone through, even through the meetings that I’ve had here. You know, you sit down with potential investors, you talk about the project, the outlook, the opportunity, the growth and all that — and they’re excited, you can see. All systems are firing, right? And then I say I’m from Zimbabwe and they look at me and they say, young man, this is a good project, very good, very good, but unfortunately we cannot engage in business with you.

And I understand that the sanctions that we have — that are imposed on entities in Zimbabwe, these are targeted sanctions, right? But then we have come to a point in time where we as young Africans are failing to properly engage in business with U.S.-based entities because there hasn’t been that clarity. These entities believe that Zimbabwe is under sanctions. So what really can we do to do try and clarify this to make sure that we as the young entrepreneurs can effectively develop Africa and engage in business?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, obviously, the situation in Zimbabwe is somewhat unique. The challenge for us in the United States has been how do we balance our desire to help the people of Zimbabwe with what has, frankly, been a repeated violation of basic democratic practices and human rights inside of Zimbabwe.

And we think it is very important to send clear signals about how we expect elections to be conducted, governments to be conducted — because if we don’t, then all too often, with impunity, the people of those countries can suffer. But you’re absolutely right that it also has to be balanced with making sure that whatever structures that we put in place with respect to sanctions don’t end up punishing the very people inside those countries.

My immediate suggestion — and this is a broader point to all the African businesses who are here, as well as the U.S. businesses — is to make sure that we’re using the Department of Commerce and the other U.S. agencies where we can gather groups of entrepreneurs and find out exactly what can be done, what can’t be done, what resources are available. It may be that you and a group of entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe are able to meet with us and propose certain projects that allow us to say this is something that will advance as opposed to retard the progress for the Zimbabwean people.

So what I’d suggest would be that we set up a meeting and we find out what kinds of things that the young entrepreneurs of Zimbabwe want to do, and see if there are ways that we can work with you consistent with the strong message that we send about good governance in Zimbabwe.

Q I see. Because really — the point of emphasis really is that as young Africans we want to converse with other business entities here in the U.S., and if these sanctions are really targeted, then in honest truth, they aren’t supposed to hamper the business that we’re trying to engage in, the development that we’re talking about.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, let’s see if we can refine them further based on some of the things you’re talking about.

Q That’s all right. Now, there have been a good number of investments that have been announced here — multibillion-dollar investments in Africa — and we’re really excited. And there’s been a lot of talk about how the public and private partnerships are the vehicle through which this investment will come into Africa, but I really want to bring it to a point of clarity. I believe that the private sector is stratified in itself. We have the existing indigenous businesses in these countries that you’re hoping to invest in, and this is where usually the funding comes through — the partnerships and all that. That is well and fine.

But then, underneath that, we have these young, upcoming entrepreneurs — the innovators, those that come up with products and services that disrupt the industry. And this is the innovation that we want in Africa, to build products by Africans for Africans. But in most cases, in what we have seen over the past years, is that, indeed, this investment comes through but it never cascades down to these young entrepreneurs, the emerging businesses. And so the existing businesses then form a sort of ceiling which we cannot break through.

When it comes to investment, when you’re talking about solving unemployment, I believe that it’s more realistic to assume and understand that the probability of 10 startups employing 10 people in a given time period, it’s more realistic than one indigenous company employing 100 people.

So what really has been — or rather, has there been any consideration in these deals that have been structured in the investments that you announced to cater for the young entrepreneur who is trying to innovate to solve the problems in society?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, I think for the business leaders who are here, both African and U.S., it’s hard being a startup everywhere.

Q That’s true.

THE PRESIDENT: Part of what you’re describing is typical of business around the world: Folks who are already in, they don’t necessarily want to share. They don’t want to be disrupted. If there’s a good opportunity, they’d rather do it themselves. If they see a small up-and-coming hotshot who might disrupt their business, they may initially try to block you or they may try to buy you out. And getting financing for a startup is always going to be difficult. You hear that from entrepreneurs here in the U.S. as well.

Having said that, what is absolutely true is that as we think about the billions of dollars that we’re mobilizing, we want to make sure that small businesses, medium-size businesses, women-owned businesses — that they have opportunity. And so my instructions to all of our agencies and hopefully the work that we’re doing with all of our partners is how can we identify, target financing for the startup; how can we identify and link up U.S. companies with small and medium-size businesses and not just the large businesses? And I think you are absolutely right that by us trying to spread investment, not narrowly through one or two companies but more broadly, that the opportunities for success in those countries are higher, and it also creates a healthy competition.

And that’s true also in terms of how we’re designing – for example, our Feed the Future program, which is working with almost 2 million small farmers inside of Africa. When I was in Senegal, I met with a woman, maybe in her 30s; she had a small plot of land initially. Through the Feed the Future program, she had been able to mechanize, double her productivity. By doubling her productivity and, through a smartphone, getting better prices to the market, she was able to increase her profits. Then she bought a tractor. Then she doubled her productivity again. And suddenly what had started off as just a program to increase her income had become capital for a growing business where she was now hiring people in her area and doing some of the process of the grain that she grew herself, so that she could move up the value chain.

There are entrepreneurs like that all across Africa. Sometimes the capital they need is not very large. Sometimes it’s a fairly modest amount. And so what I want to do is to make sure that we are constantly looking out for opportunities to disburse this capital not just narrowly, but broadly. And one of the things that I hope happens with U.S. companies is that they’re constantly looking for opportunities to partner with young entrepreneurs, startups, and not just always going to the same well-established businesses.

Now, there are going to be some large-capital projects where you’ve got a good, solid, established company. Hopefully they, themselves, have policies with respect to their suppliers that allow them to start encouraging and growing small businesses as well.

Q Exactly. And on that note, I’m glad that you acknowledged that and I hope that even in these deals, in the investments that you’re talking about, that one of the conditions be that those large organizations that are getting investment have policies that cascade down to people at the grassroots.

You spoke about this lady who was using a smartphone to — it is one key issue that is really propelling business and development in Africa, the ability to leverage technology. And really it is all about the Internet of things. And that is why I’m personally working in liberating the Internet to get more people connected.

Now, this is a huge opportunity in Africa as well. Now, there is this troubling issue that has been brought to our attention with entities and organizations that have come up and have said we want to control the Internet, we want to see who gets what traffic and from whom. And policies and activities like that become challenges for startups that are trying to leverage the Internet, for this lady farmer that you talked about who is trying to leverage and get information from the Internet.

So I want to understand what is your stance on net neutrality and its effects on the global development in Africa?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, this is an important issue for all the heads of state and government not just in Africa but around the world. The reason the Internet is so powerful is because it’s open. My daughters, 16 and 13, they can access information from anyplace in the world. They can learn about a particular discipline instantaneously, in ways that when I was their age — first of all, I wasn’t as motivated as they are. I was lazier than them. (Laughter.) They do much better in school than I did. But the world is at their fingertips.

And what facilitates that, and what has facilitated the incredible value that’s been built by companies like Google and Facebook and so many others, all the applications that you find on your smartphone, is that there are not restrictions, there are not barriers to entry for new companies who have a good idea to use this platform that is open to create value. And it is very important I think that we maintain that.

Now, I know that there’s a tension in some countries — their attitude is we don’t necessarily want all this information flowing because it can end up also being used as a tool for political organizing, it can be used as a tool to criticize the government, and so maybe we’d prefer a system that is more closed. I think that is a self-defeating attitude. Over the long term, because of technology, information, knowledge, transparency is inevitable. And that’s true here in the United States; it’s true everywhere.

And so what we should be doing is trying to maintain an open Internet, trying to keep a process whereby any talented person who has an idea can suddenly use the Internet to disperse information. There are going to be occasional tensions involved in terms of us monitoring the use of the Internet for terrorist networks or criminal enterprises or human trafficking. But we can do that in ways that are compatible with maintaining an open Internet.

And this raises the broader question that I mentioned earlier, which is Africa needs capital; in some cases, Africa needs technical assistance; Africa certainly needs access to markets. But perhaps the biggest thing that Africa is going to need to unleash even more the potential that’s already there and the growth that’s already taking place is laws and regulations and structures that empower individuals and are not simply designed to control or empower those at the very top.

And the Internet is one example. You’ve got to have a system and sets of laws that encourage entrepreneurship, but that’s also true when it comes to a whole host of issues. It’s true when it comes to how hard is it to get a business permit when a new startup like yours wants to establish itself.

When it comes to Power Africa, there are billions of dollars floating around the world that are interested in investing in power generation in Africa. And the countries that are going to attract that investment are the ones where the investor knows that if a power plant is built, that there are rules in place that are transparent that ensure that they’re going to get a decent return, and that some of the revenue isn’t siphoned off in certain ways so that the investor has political risks or risks with respect to corruption.

The more that governments set up the right rules, understanding that in the 21st century the power that drives growth and development and the marketplace involves knowledge and that can’t be controlled, the more successful countries are going to be.

Q I see. So just to clarify on the issue of net neutrality, you are advocating for an open and fair Internet —

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

Q — which would — then it has structure to ensure that the platform itself isn’t abused.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, there are two issues — net neutrality — in the United States, one of the issues around net neutrality is whether you are creating different rates or charges for different content providers. That’s the big controversy here. You have big, wealthy media companies who might be willing to pay more but then also charge more for more spectrum, more bandwidth on the Internet so they can stream movies faster or what have you.

And I personally — the position of my administration, as well as I think a lot of companies here is you don’t want to start getting a differentiation in how accessible the Internet is to various users. You want to leave it open so that the next Google or the next Facebook can succeed.

There’s another problem, though — there are other countries — and I think this is what you were alluding to — that feel comfortable with the idea of controlling and censoring Internet content in their home countries, and setting up rules and laws about what can or cannot be on the Internet. And I think that that not only is going to inhibit entrepreneurs who are creating value on the Internet; I think it’s also going to inhibit the growth of the country generally, because closed societies that are not open to new ideas, eventually they fall behind. Eventually, they miss out on the future because they’re so locked into trying to maintain the past.

Q I see. Thank you for the clarity. I think we’re out of a bit of time. I’ll ask my final question. When we began this conversation, we were alluding to the fact that — the need to separate the political function and economic function. In other words, politics should not get in the way of business. And I’ve gone to quite a good number of — I know it’s difficult — so I’ve gone to a good number of conferences where the end deliverable of the entire summit, or whatever it is, is that we need to lobby government to create policies that are conducive, and this and that. And that’s usually what you get — either you’re trying to lobby somebody to do something, right? And, in turn, governments come up and say, yes, we promise to come up with this and that, and this and that. And that’s a whole political sphere of things. My question is, apart from that, what can we as business leaders, as the private sector, what can we do sort of independently to — what can we do to create this economic environment that fosters for the growth and development of Africa as a continent?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, although this isn’t always a popular position here in Washington these days, the truth is, is that government really can help set the conditions and the framework for markets to function effectively — in part because governments are able to initiate projects like roads and bridges and airports that any individual business would find cost prohibitive. It wouldn’t make sense to invest in what is a collective good; it’s not going to help your bottom line if everybody else is using it. So that’s part of the function of government.

Part of the function of government is to educate a population so that you got a well-trained workforce. It’s hard for companies to invest in doing that by themselves. There are certain common goods, like maintaining clean air and clean water, and making sure that if you have capital markets, that they’re well-regulated so that they’re trust-worthy, and small investors and large investors know that if they invest in a stock that they’re not being cheated.

So there are a whole host of functions that government has to play. But in the end, what drives innovation typically is not what happens in government, it’s what’s happening in companies. And what we found in the United States is, is that companies, once they’ve got the basic rules and they’ve got the basic platform, they are able to create value and innovation and cultures that encourage growth. And I think that African entrepreneurs are going to be the trendsetters for determining how societies think about themselves and, ultimately, how governments think about these issues.

The truth of the matter is, is that if you have big, successful companies or you’ve got widespread entrepreneurship, and you have a growing middle class and practices have been established in terms of fair dealing, and treating your workers properly, and extending opportunity to smaller contractors, and promoting women and making sure women are paid like men — suddenly, what happens is businesses create new norms and new sensibilities. And governments oftentimes will respond.

And so I think in Africa what I’d like to see more and more of is partnerships between American businesses, between African businesses. Some of the incredible cultures of some of our U.S. businesses that do a really good job promoting people and maintaining a meritocracy, and treating women equally, and treating people of different races and faiths and sexual orientations fairly and equally, and making sure that there are typical norms of how you deal with people in contracts and respect legal constraints — all those things I think can then take root in a country like Zimbabwe or any other country. Hopefully, governments are encouraging that, not inhibiting that. They recognize that that’s how the world as a whole is increasingly moving in that direction. And over time, you will see an Africa that is driven by individual entrepreneurs and private organizations, and governments will be responsive to their demands.

So I think the one thing I want to make sure people understand, though, is it’s not an either/or issue. Government has a critical role to play. The marketplace has a critical role to play. Nonprofit organizations have a critical role to play. But the goal and the orientation constantly should be how do we empower individuals to work together. And if we are empowering young people like you all across Africa, if we’ve got a 21-year-old who has already started three businesses, we’ve got to figure out how to invest in him, how to make it easier for him to succeed. If you succeed, you’re going to then be hiring a whole bunch of people, and they, in turn, will succeed. And that’s been the recipe for growth in the 20th century and the 21st century.

And I’m confident that Africa is well on its way. America just wants to make sure that we’re helpful in that process. And I know that all the U.S. companies who are here, that’s their goal as well. We are interested in Africa, because we know that if Africa thrives and succeeds, and if you’ve got a bunch of entrepreneurs, they’re going to need supplies from us maybe, or they may supply us with outstanding products; they’re going to have a growing middle class that wants to buy iPhones or applications from us. In turn, they may provide us new services and we can be the distributor for something that’s invented in Africa, and all of us grow at the same time.

That’s our goal, and I’m confident that we can make it happen. And this summit has been a great start. So I want to thank you for doing a great job moderating. I want to thank all the leaders here not only of government, but also business for participating. There’s been great energy, great enthusiasm. I know a lot of business has gotten done. If any of you are interested in investing in this young man, let him know. (Laughter.)

All right, thank you, guys.

WASHINGTON, August 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Vice President Biden met with President Jacob Zuma of South Africa today, on the sidelines of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. The Vice President and the President spoke about the signific…

WASHINGTON, August 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Vice President Biden welcomed President Goodluck Jonathan of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the White House today on the margins of the historic U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. Vice President Biden and President Jonathan agreed that Nigeria and the United States would work together to urgently contain the outbreak of the Ebola virus. The Vice President welcomed the Government of Nigeria’s work to improve its business climate, which continues to attract U.S. investors. The President and Vice President agreed on the importance of deepening trade and investment, and the critical role that access to electricity—including through the advancement of Power Africa—plays in supporting that goal. Lastly, the President and Vice President discussed Nigeria’s efforts to counter Boko Haram. The Vice President reiterated U.S. partnership in defeating the terrorist threat and the need to pursue holistic approaches that respect and protect human rights. The Vice President also underscored the importance of supporting Nigeria’s effort to improve the socioeconomic and security conditions in northern Nigeria.

JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, August 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Standard Bank Group (http://www.standardbank.com), Africa’s largest lender by assets, has renewed its commitment to the Power Africa Initiative, a multi-stakeholder project driven by US President Barack Obama, which aims to double access to power in Africa by significantly accelerating investment in the sector over the next five years. The US government has committed more than US$7 billion dollars in financial support to Power Africa over five years.

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1279 (from left to right) Dr Donald Kaberuka President of AfDB, David Mark Rubenstein co-founder and co-chief executive officer of The Carlyle Group and Mr Sim Tshabalala, Chief Executive of Standard Bank Group, during the panel discussion at the African Leaders Business Forum)

Download the infographic “Gateways to West Africa”: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/140806.png

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/standardbank.png

Power Africa aims to add more than 10 000 megawatts of cleaner, more efficient electricity generating capacity, and in the process electrifying at least 20 million new households and commercial entities with on-grid, mini-grid, and off-grid solutions. The six initial partner countries – Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Tanzania – have set ambitious goals to boost their power generating capacity with the ultimate aim of enhancing energy security, decreasing poverty and fostering economic growth.

“We are seeing an increasing pipeline of power projects across sub-Saharan Africa,” said Mr Sim Tshabalala, Chief Executive of Standard Bank Group. “In 2013 we committed to arrange funding of at least $150m of debt in the near term across the Power Africa countries, while more recently that amount has risen to over $400m, principally in Kenya and Nigeria, with smaller transactions in Ghana and Tanzania.”

Standard Bank is using its extensive balance sheet and on-the-ground presence across 20 markets across sub Saharan Africa to help finance projects under the Power Africa initiative while at the same time actively leading the policy reform process required to facilitate increased private sector investment in Africa’s power sector. The bank expects more than $1bn in commercial projects to be realised across the six Power Africa partner countries by 2018, and as much as $5bn when one includes the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.

“Standard Bank will strive to arrange or underwrite at least half of the debt required for these projects,” said Mr Tshabalala. “As such, our commitment to Power Africa is to help fund an additional $600m of debt in the Power Africa countries through 2018, taking our total since joining the initiative a year ago to $1bn, and another $2bn across the rest of sub-Saharan Africa over the same timescale.”

The Ghana Power Compact (GPC) is the largest US Government transaction to date under the Power Africa banner. The GPC takes a system-wide approach to Ghana’s energy challenges with six projects across three areas: distribution, generation and access to energy.

The GPC also supports Ghana’s efforts to mitigate climate change by funding major energy-efficiency initiatives and improving the investment climate for renewable energy. At the heart of the GPC is a strong commitment from the Government of Ghana to change the laws and regulations needed to transform its power sector and put it on a path to profitability and sustainability.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) will invest up to $498m over the next five years, to support the transformation of Ghana’s energy sector, helping the country provide a safe, reliable source of power to households and businesses. The Government of Ghana will contribute an additional $37m, bringing the total investment to $535m. This initial investment is expected to catalyse at least $4.6bn in additional private sector energy investment and activity from American firms in the coming years.

“Ghana is one of Africa’s most dynamic and exciting economies and the GPC will make a significant contribution towards putting the country on a sustainable long-term economic growth path,” said Mr Tshabalala. “Standard Bank will use its presence in Ghana and the rest of the continent to further support the Power Africa Initiative as well as other power projects across the continent.”

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Standard Bank.

Media contact

Kate Johns

Group Communications | Africa Media Relations

Tel: +27 11 721 8406 | Mobile: +27 82 805 0210

kate.johns@standardbank.co.za | www.standardbank.co.za www.standardbank.com

About Standard Bank Group

Standard Bank (http://www.standardbank.com), trading as Stanbic Group, is the largest African bank by assets and earnings. Our strategy is to build the leading African-focused financial services organisation using all our competitive advantages to the full. We will focus on delivering superior sustainable shareholder value by serving the needs of our customers through first-class, on-the-ground operations in chosen countries in Africa. We will also connect other selected emerging markets to Africa and to each other, applying our sector expertise, particularly in natural resources, globally. We operate in 20 countries on the African continent, including South Africa.

Standard Bank has a 151-year history in South Africa and started building a franchise outside southern Africa in the early 1990s. In recent years, Standard Bank has concluded key acquisitions on the African continent in Kenya and Nigeria. Africa is at our core and we will continue to build first-class on-the-ground banks.

The group’s nearly 49 000 employees in all regions deliver a complete range of services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking and wealth management. Standard Bank’s Corporate & Investment Banking division offers its clients banking, trading, investment, risk management and advisory services to connect selected emerging markets to Africa and to each other. It has strong offerings in mining and metals; oil, gas and renewables; power and infrastructure; agribusiness; telecommunications and media; and financial institutions.

Normalised headline earnings for 2013 were R17.2 billion (about USD 1.8 billion) and total assets were R1 694 billion (about USD 162 billion). Standard Bank’s market capitalisation at 31 December 2013 was R209.4 billion (about USD20 billion).

The group’s largest shareholder is Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the world’s largest bank, with a 20,1% shareholding. In addition, Standard Bank Group and ICBC share a strategic partnership that facilitates trade and deal flow between Africa, China and select emerging markets.

For further information go to http://www.standardbank.com

Or if related to CIB deals:

For further information go to http://www.standardbank.com/cib

WASHINGTON, August 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — This afternoon, Vice President Biden met with President Moncef Marzouki of Tunisia. The Vice President thanked the President for Tunisia’s assistance in relocating U.S. personnel from Lib…

WASHINGTON, August 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

August 5, 2014

SECRETARY KERRY: It’s my pleasure to welcome President Kiir of South Sudan. The president and I have visited many times there and here, and I’ve had the privilege of being with him at the moment that the referendum took place that gave birth to the nation of South Sudan. This is a very timely meeting because right now South Sudan is suffering the fate of being the most food-insecure nation in the world as a consequence of manmade circumstances. There is a struggle going on, which has been going on for some time, in which innocent civilians are caught up. And President Kiir has agreed – along with the former Vice President Riek Machar – to negotiate, and ultimately to engage in the creation of a unity transition government.

That transition government needs to be negotiated, and the neighbor countries – Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia – have been deeply involved together even with Sudan in trying to help bring parties together and see if we can’t resolve this in a peaceful way. So our hope is that we can have a discussion today that helps to clarify the road ahead, to try to minimize the violence. There is a commission of inquiry on what has been happening on the ground. It’s very important for us to figure out how that will also figure into the future here.

The most important thing, and I know President Kiir agrees with this, is to make sure that the people are able to find security, and hopefully that we’re able to get food, medicine, humanitarian assistance to people at a time of huge need. And I look forward to my conversation with the president this morning.

Mr. President, if you want to say anything.

PRESIDENT KIIR: Well, thank you very much, Honorable Secretary, and it’s my pleasure to be in Washington at this moment, and on bilateral issues and for your also involvement in the issues of our country. The situation in South Sudan today, of course, on the ground it is not as been reported in the media. And if the two sides – that is the government and the rebels – were forthcoming, all of them, this thing could have been resolved a long time back. But we get difficulty on the side of the rebels. We signed the cessation of hostilities with the leader of the rebels in May on the 9th, which he did not respect. We again met in June and we signed another recommitment, cessation of hostilities on the 10th of June, but they did not abide with all these agreements.

I always say that Riek Machar is not in control of what he calls his army. And so each commanders in different areas are operating on their own. I want to repeat what I said in that meeting, the last meeting. I told the press that if peace was to be brought to South Sudan today or tomorrow, I will be happy because the people who are dying on both sides are my people. I am an elected president, and the people who elected me were not from my tribe. I was elected by all the people of South Sudan. So other people die in support of Riek Machar or is my support – these are all my people.

Those who are in need of humanitarian assistance can be served anywhere, wherever they are. This is still my position today, that if there is any humanitarian assistance, that ought to be delivered to the people who are affected. This thing has – can go unhindered. And it has been happening that humanitarian assistance has been going to the areas affected by this conflict. I’m hopeful that we are going to find a solution very soon to that conflict. Thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, Mr. President. I just want the record to be clear that it is our judgment – and the former Vice President Mr. Machar needs to understand this – that he has broken – it was his initiative that broke the agreement and took his troops back into a violent status. And he needs to understand the importance of living by the agreements. In my conversations with the prime minister of Ethiopia, who made it clear this is his judgment also, he needs to understand the international community is going to be impatient with those breaches.

So what we’re looking for is the fulfillment of the agreement, which means moving to a transition government that heals the wounds and brings people together. And we have said before and I reiterate now that the president is the duly elected, constitutional president of South Sudan, and this is a rebel group. Nevertheless, it needs to understand the importance of adhering to international agreements and the importance of bringing this to a negotiated conclusion and path forward.

So I hope today we can find a way to get back to these talks in a serious way, Mr. President, and I thank you very, very much for your statement and for being here to join us for this conversation. Thank you all very much.

WASHINGTON, August 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

August 5, 2014

MS. HYDE: Good afternoon. Mr. President and Secretary Kerry, Mr. Minister, and friends of Ghana: I am delighted to welcome you here for the signing of Ghana’s $498 million compact with the U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation. This agreement represents a major milestone in the U.S.-Ghanaian partnership, and I want to thank both teams, from Ghana and from MCC, who worked tirelessly to develop this investment aimed at overcoming one of Ghana’s key constraints to growth.

The compact we sign today takes a system-wide approach to transforming Ghana’s power sector. It invests in projects focused on distribution to make Ghana’s energy sector financially viable and capable of attracting private investment, and it funds initiatives supporting greater energy efficiency and cleaner renewable energy. These investments will provide Ghanaian homes, schools, and hospitals with access to the reliable electricity they need to thrive. And by encouraging entrepreneurship and supporting the productivity of Ghanaian businesses, these investments will help generate growth.

At $498 million, the compact we sign today represents the largest U.S. Government transaction to date under the Obama Administration’s Power Africa initiative. In addition, we estimate this $498 million will catalyze at least $4 billion in private investment and activities from U.S. and other businesses in Ghana’s energy sector over the coming years. We also think this compact can serve as a powerful anchor and a platform for overall U.S. assistance and engagement aimed at driving growth in Ghana and throughout West Africa.

In Ghana, the Millennium Challenge Corporation has chosen a partner who is fully committed to good governance. I applaud the Mahama Administration for its courage and steady conviction to take on bold reforms that will lead to growth and opportunity for millions.

As part of this compact, Ghana has made and will continue to make critical policy and regulatory reforms in the power sector. These reforms will sustain our efforts and will give global, American, and Ghanaian businesses greater confidence to invest. As a reformer, Ghana is truly a shining example and a model of an effective partner for MCC and for the U.S. Government.

So today is a win-win for the people of Ghana and the people of the United States. I want to congratulate all who made this partnership possible and who will work very hard now to realize its promise. With that, I’d like to introduce the Secretary of State, Secretary Kerry. (Applause.)

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Well, Dana, thank you. Welcome, everybody. We are really delighted to see everybody here and delighted to see this continuing cascade of announcements of deals that have been made, people coming together, business opportunities that are being taken advantage of. And I am really personally enormously energized by what’s been going on the last 36 hours and what will continue tonight at the White House and tomorrow here at the State Department.

I’m particularly grateful to Dana for her leadership at the MCC. She knows the power of transformational development, which is what this is all about, and she’s worked with PEPFAR, she’s worked on the 9/11 Commission, and she knows that development is not just about prosperity; it’s about building opportunity and stability, security. And she now leads the MCC programs that are combatting poverty all around the world, and we’re very proud of those efforts and I’m proud to have the pleasure of being the chair of the board. And when we meet, it’s always an exciting discussion about development.

I’m particularly delighted to welcome my former colleague, Senator Johnny Isakson, here. Johnny, thank you very much for being here with us. We appreciate it. (Applause.) Representatives Karen Bass and Chris Smith, these are three leaders who without any exaggeration have been incredibly important to our ability to be able to do what we’re doing. They’ve been critical to the subcommittees of Africa in both houses of the Congress, and I’m telling you not just as a former member but now as Secretary, without their focused attention and the commitment of the Congress on this, we’re just not able to do the kinds of things that we’re trying to do. And they do not get distracted by the day-to-day headlines and the kind of tug of war that sometimes depresses everybody.

It’s a great pleasure for me to be back with President Mahama. This is the Mahama-Obama axis here, folks. (Laughter.) And I’m also happy to be here with the Foreign Minister Hanna Tetteh and Minister of Finance Seth Terkper is here. I last – I saw – I was with the president yesterday because he very kindly took part as a panelist in the civil society town hall, so to speak, meeting. But I saw him before that in New York at the UN General Assembly, where we discussed security in the Sahel and also Ghana’s plans for energy independence. And since then, our partnership has literally only grown except for 90 minutes during the World Cup, folks – (laughter) – when it wasn’t so friendly. (Laughter.) Anyway.

But we are taking our partnership to a next level here signing a second Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact with Ghana. Nearly 60 years ago, Ghana became the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to peacefully earn its independence when Kwame Nkrumah declared Ghana free forever. And the United States has been at Ghana’s side ever since, I’m proud to say. When the Organization of African Unity first met in Ghana, the American Embassy lent the conference paper and the typewriters. And when your first president arrived in Washington, D.C., President John F. Kennedy was at the tarmac to greet him as he came down the steps. Imagine that today.

We live in a different time, a different press of business, but five years ago President Obama went to Accra and he did so to declare that the 21st century will not be shaped just by Washington; it’ll be shaped in Accra as well. And that’s what brings us here today, that reality. Ghana’s second compact is another link in the long chain of friendship between our countries. And the first compact helped to pave highways and supported farmers in the export market. This second compact will transform the energy sector and help to provide reliable power with 10 percent coming from renewable resources.

I say it all the time, but a responsible energy policy is not a brake on the economy. It is, in fact, the engine of an economy. And people I think are now waking up to that fact. It’s an enormous $6 trillion market, folks, and the market that made America so wealthy in the 1990s where every income level saw their incomes go up was a $1 trillion market. I think everybody understands the differential and the value of our going after it.

Many years ago, Ghana sparked an independence movement that swept all across the continent like wildfire. And today, this compact is proof positive that Ghana is once again leading with its commitment to good governance and to economic prosperity. So it’s my great pleasure to welcome here to the podium a man who now needs no introduction, the President of the Republic of Ghana John Mahama. (Applause.)

PRESIDENT MAHAMA: Thank you. Senator Kerry, Secretary of State, honorable members of Senate and Congress, ministers and secretaries, ladies and gentlemen: I’m very honored to be present here today on this occasion of the signing of a new Millennium Challenge Compact between the governments of Ghana and the United States of America. Indeed, it seems like just yesterday when our two governments successfully executed and implemented our first compact. The first compact, by all measures, brought a transformational change in the agricultural landscape of Ghana. It also represented a refreshingly new strategy for the transformation of agriculture in Ghana. It also targeted sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction among the majority of rural dwellers who rely on agriculture for their livelihood by focusing on transport infrastructure and rural development. The achievements and success of the first compact include 66,930 farmer received training in commercial agricultural practices, enhancing their productivity and skills. Four irrigation schemes were rehabilitated, providing irrigation to 2,435 hectares of agricultural farmlands. Twenty post-harvest facilities were constructed, providing storage so crops would not get spoiled in the field. Thousands of farmers were provided with agricultural credit worth $23.1 million. Many roads, including the now famous George Bush Highway, were constructed, and 44 school blocks were fully rehabilitated while 206 new school blocks were constructed, totaling 250. All rural banks in Ghana and their agencies were interconnected and computerized and automated, provided with generators, computers, and wide area networks.

It’s extremely gratifying to note that on the heels of the first compact, which came to closure on June 30th, 2012, Ghana was selected to benefit from a second compact that specifically targets the energy sector. No one can deny the fact that energy is the engine of growth that has propelled many of the world’s leading economies into wealth and prosperity. Ghana is currently experiencing challenges with energy availability, sufficiency, and reliability, and so it was only logical that this new compact would focus on the energy sector.

The objectives of this new compact is to reduce poverty through economic growth in Ghana with direct interventions in the energy sector. This will not only enhance our own efforts at improving the sector, but would hopefully accelerate it. It’s not been an easy road because over the past two years our agencies and their USA counterparts have focused attention on addressing this critical constraint to economic growth in Ghana through a series of protocols, exchanges, and meetings. Indeed, initiatives such as the Partnership for Growth, the first compact, and Power Africa have also provided increased access and opportunity to deepen collaboration with 12 specialized agencies of the U.S. Government. And these are the USAID, USTDA, the MCC, US ExIm, OPIC, U.S.-African Development Foundation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Energy, Commerce, Treasury, Agriculture, and Department of State – so many of them. (Laughter.)

This new compact will bring cutting-edge U.S. technology and solutions to expand access to affordable, sustainable electric power. Thanks to the efforts of the above agencies and their Ghanaian counterparts who have collectively and assiduously worked hard to prepare this compact, we are here to sign the compact today.

Today, therefore, marks another historic moment in the bilateral relationship between the United States of America and Ghana, because we see Ghana rising a little higher to achieve its overarching policy goals for the energy sector. Ghana’s total energy supply has to grow significantly in order to achieve the developmental goals we’ve set ourselves. The main challenge is how to increase the energy supply and also expand the energy infrastructure in the country in a way that is sustainable. The power sub-sector needs to increase installed power generation capacity quickly from the current about 2,800 megawatts today to 5,000 megawatts, while at the same time increasing access to electricity from the current 76 percent to universal access, and all this hopefully by the end of the implementation of the compact.

We have also been considering how to attract investments to build the necessary infrastructure for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity throughout our country. This investment is key to ensuring the sustainable, efficient development of Ghana’s energy sector. Our energy policy focuses on institutional and human resource capacity building as well as regulatory reforms required to create a competitive electricity market. Creating the right environment for private-public partnerships in the development of new power plants is essential to the growth of the power sector.

The biggest obstacle to achieving this objective is the issue of cost recovering, a challenge that our policy tries to directly address. Government is keen to and has already initiated actions towards reforms to attract more private sector participation in the energy and power sectors. These include a transparent framework for the development and management of natural gas resources, movements toward a least-cost transparent process of competitive bidding for power generation, and the allocation and pricing of legacy hydro power.

We must also achieve an integrated resource and resiliency planning among the generation, transmission, and distribution sectors; transition to a wholesale electricity market; distribution and commercial loss reduction; promotion of energy efficiency and demand-side management; and support for the expansion of renewable energy projects. Other pressing near-term action is to improve the creditworthiness of the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company, NEDCo, the nation’s off-takers and distributors of electric power.

I note with satisfaction the numerous ongoing endeavors between the Government of Ghana and the agencies of the United States Government, and I hope the compact we execute shortly will pave the way for greater engagement in even more areas with other U.S. state agencies.

I wish to take this opportunity to reiterate the full support and commitment of the Government of Ghana to the Partnership for Growth, the Joint Country Action Plan, Power Africa initiatives, and especially this new compact.

And so on behalf of the people of Ghana, I wish to express our immense gratitude to the Government of the United States of America and the people of America for partnering with Ghana through these laudable initiatives. I thank you, and God bless Ghana and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

(The compact was signed.)

(Applause.)

SECRETARY KERRY: Well done.

WASHINGTON, August 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

August 5, 2014

SECRETARY KERRY: Let me just say to everybody that it’s a huge pleasure for me to welcome Dr. Dlamini-Zuma, who is the chairperson of the African Union. And it’s fair to say that the United States has a very special relationship with the African Union that we respect and appreciate enormously – in fact, so much so that we are the only – we are one of only two countries that have sent a U.S. mission to the African Union outside of Africa, African countries themselves. So we’re proud of that. We’re proud of the work we’re doing to develop democracy, to work on economic development, on human rights, on security. And this has just been an essential value added to our ability to be able to find cooperative channels to deal with crises, to bring people together, to convene, and to help chart a path forward.

So Dr. Dlamini-Zuma, I’m really pleased to see you. Thank you. And I was very appreciative of your comments a moment ago about the energy and the sense you feel from this conference that you see Africa being treated as an entity and here as Africa, which I gather makes a difference to you.

CHAIRPERSON DLAMINI-ZUMA: Yes, I think it does, because I think to some extent Africa is sometimes seen from the – what catches the news. But I think this week, we are discussing more about the substance of Africa: what it can offer through the cooperation with the government, but more importantly, what it can offer to U.S. investors coming to Africa and what it can offer to businesspeople who really want to get – do business in Africa; to financial markets who want the best return. I think the best return is in Africa.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, it’s proving itself now.

CHAIRPERSON DLAMINI-ZUMA: Yes.

SECRETARY KERRY: Anyway – well, thank you for being with us. We appreciate it. Thank you all very much.

WASHINGTON, August 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

August 5, 2014

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you all very much. I just want to welcome Prime Minister Hailemariam of Ethiopia, who has been enormously engaged with us on many different issues. And I’ve had the privilege now of visiting several times. Most recently, I was there in the spring. And we talked a lot about Ethiopia’s help, very important help, to try to move the process in Sudan and South Sudan. Particularly, Ethiopia has been a leader in bringing countries together to try to effect a ceasefire and move the parties into a negotiation. Ethiopia has also been really key to us with respect to the transition taking place in Somalia – we’re very grateful for that – and frankly, a regional leader.

In addition to that, the United States has committed some $800 million to assist with issues of economic development, education, capacity building, health, and other things. Our relationship is strong and productive, and we’re very, very grateful for their leadership most of all at a difficult time in some difficult places. Thank you, Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER DESALEGN: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary of State. I think the relationship between Ethiopia and the United States is deepening, and we have been engaging ourselves in many issues. Like the Secretary said, we are working very hard on pacifying the region, which is the basis for all the engagements and economic development that take place. And peace and stability and security in the region is the pillar of our cooperation at this time.

And beyond that, I think United States and Ethiopia are working very hard to bring investors from the United States, which we have great opportunity this forum and summit, and we have been working with many U.S. companies who are interested to invest in my country. Beyond peace and stability, which is a prerequisite for investment to take place in the region, Ethiopia is also spearheading bringing investors into my country.

And we are also working on continental and global issues like the climate change and food security issues, which you mentioned yesterday. You have had a very good speech, which we go along with you to see that the climate change impact on the continent and specifically also on the Horn of Africa is a most important issue that we have to cooperate. We are also working very hard to fight terrorism and extremism, which is an important issue for all of us. And I thank you very much for your leadership on all these issues, and we are keen to work closely with you on all those issues. Thank you very much.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, Prime Minister. Appreciate it. Thank you very much, everybody.

WASHINGTON, August 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

August 5, 2014

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. It’s my pleasure to be here with the IGAD leaders: the presidents of Kenya, of Uganda, and Djibouti; and the prime minister of Ethiopia, who is the chair of this effort. And we just met with respect to the situation in South Sudan, and there is a unanimous agreement that this war must end and must end now. These leaders will go back to their region and meet in Addis Ababa very, very soon, where they will decide on specific actions that they are prepared to take in unanimous fashion with their countries in an effort to guarantee that the war comes to an end. They are prepared to issue a final ultimatum to the parties to come to the table, and in addition to that, the United Nations Security Council will be visiting – the entire Security Council – next week to make it clear there is no other alternative except to proceed with the plan of these leaders that they have put on the table.

The United States is fully supportive of that effort, and we will do everything in our power to make a difference. There’s a threat of starvation for 50,000 children, there’s a continued threat to life, there is a tribal series of attacks on both sides taking place that is simply unacceptable. And I wanted to thank the leaders for their leadership. We applaud their initiative to find an African solution and to take the leadership, and we’re particularly encouraged by that.

I was just asked if it’s all right with everybody if the prime minister wants to say a few things as the chair.

PRIME MINISTER DESALEGN: Secretary Kerry, thank you very much for letting me speaking with IGAD leaders. We in the IGAD region and leaders have agreed that the war has to stop and stop very, very quickly. And the region has come a long way in sorting out the problem, and to solve this problem we will stand together. And in this regard, we have come to the end now. The violation of the ceasefire has taken place by Riek Machar.

And so the region has put the comprehensive solution to the government of transitional national unity, which is going to be established in South Sudan. And both parties has to agree to this proposal of the region. And I think if the parties do not agree on the proposal that the region has put in place after studying (inaudible) circumstances in South Sudan, then the region is going to take strong action, as we have put in the IGAD summit – punitive action that has to be taken immediately after convening the meeting of IGAD heads of state and government in Addis Ababa very soon after this summit.

So the region has come to the climax and the human catastrophe has to stop. In this regard, we are ready to propose our proposal, and if they agree, then your ambassador will come to South Sudan. If not, then the region is going to take strong action.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. Thank you very much. Thank you all.