U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesperson
For Immediate Release
June 13, 2011
2011/T48-23
REMARKS

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

At African Union

June 13, 2011

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon. It is a great honor to join you here in Addis
Ababa and to address the African Union. I want to thank Chairperson Ping, members of
the African Union Commission, ambassadors to the AU, representatives of United
Nations agencies, and, most of all, representatives of the nations and people of Africa.
Thank you for the opportunity to be here with you. It is good to be back in Africa, and it
is a singular honor to address this body.

During the past few days, I have traveled to Zambia, Tanzania, and now Ethiopia,
meeting with leaders and citizens who are rising to meet challenges of all kinds with
creativity, courage, and skill. And I am pleased to come to the African Union today as
the first United States Secretary of State to address you, because I believe that in the
21st century, solving our greatest challenges cannot be the work only of individuals or
individual nations. These challenges require communities of nations and peoples
working together in alliances, partnerships, and institutions like the African Union.

Consider what it takes to solve global challenges, like climate change or terrorism, or
regional ones, like the African Unions work in Sudan and Somalia. Your efforts to end
the brutal campaign of the Lords Resistance Army, your push to create a green
revolution for Africa that drives down hunger and poverty, the challenge of helping
refugees displaced by conflict, the fight against transnational crimes like piracy and
trafficking: These are diplomatic and development challenges of enormous complexity.
But institutions like this make it easier for us to address them, by helping nations turn
common interests into common actions, by encouraging coalition building and effective
compromising, by integrating emerging nations into a global community with clear
obligations and expectations.

That is why, as Secretary of State, I have emphasized the work of regional institutions
throughout the world, in Latin America, in Asia, in Europe, and in Africa. Now, regional
institutions, of course, may differ, but increasingly they are called upon to be problem
solvers and to deliver concrete results that produce positive change in peoples lives.
To solve the problems confronting Africa and the world, we need the African Union. We
also need Africas sub-regional institutions, all of whom must help lead the way.
Because the results you will achieve will shape the future, first and foremost, of course,
for the people of Africa, but also for the people of my country, and indeed for people
everywhere because what happens in Africa has global impact. Economic growth here
spurs economic growth elsewhere. Breakthroughs in health research here can save and
improve lives in other lands. And peace established here makes the world more
secure.

So the United States seeks new and dynamic partnerships with African peoples,
nations, and institutions. We want to help you accelerate the advances that are
underway in many places and collaborate with you to reverse the dangerous trends and
encourage political, economic, and social progress.

Today, Id like briefly to discuss three areas, which are areas of emphasis for you and
for us and where I think we can make particular progress through regional institutions
like the AU. They are democracy, economic growth, and peace and security. These
are, of course, the core areas of focus for the African Union, and thats for a reason. All
three are critical for a thriving region. All three must be the work both of individual
nations and communities of nations. And all three present challenges, opportunities,
and responsibilities we must address together.

First, democracy. Let me begin by saying this is an exciting time for African
democracy. More than half the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have embraced
democratic, constitutional, multi-party rule. Now, some, like Botswana, Ghana, and
Tanzania, have spent decades building strong institutions and a tradition of peaceful,
democratic transitions. (Interruption to audio.) When things like this happen, you just
keep going. (Laughter.) (Applause.) Now, those countries that I mentioned are
models, not only for their neighbors, but increasingly for countries everywhere.

Other African nations have been also making important advances. In Nigeria, President
Jonathan was inaugurated 15 days ago after what many have called the fairest election
in Nigerias recent history. Benin and Malawi both held successful elections this spring,
building on previous successful multiparty contests. Kenyas democracy got a boost
from last years referendum on its new constitution. The vote took place without
violence, and the constitution, which includes a bill of rights and limits on executive
power, passed by a large margin. Niger and Guinea, both of which endured recent
military coups, held successful elections in the past year. And in Cote d'Ivoire, the crisis
that followed the 2010 elections was finally resolved two months ago with the help of the
AU, and the elected winner is now serving as president.

These are just a few examples of Africas recent democratic gains. A complete list
would fill all the time we have today. In several nations, the institutions of democracy
are becoming stronger. There are freer medias, justice systems that administer justice
equally, and impartially, honest legislatures, vibrant civil societies.

Now, much of the credit for these hard-won achievements rightly belongs to the people
and leaders of these countries who have passionately and persistently, sometimes at
great risk to themselves, demanded that their leaders protect the rule of law, honor
election results, uphold rights and freedoms. But credit is also due to the African Union,
which has prohibited new leaders who have come to power through military rule and
coups from being seated in the organization. The AU and Africas other regional
institutions have also played a pivotal role in ending crises and creating the conditions
for successful, democratic transitions, with the AUs work to monitor elections being an
especially important contribution.

But, even as we celebrate this progress, we do know that too many people in Africa still
live under longstanding rulers, men who care too much about the longevity of their
reign, and too little about the legacy that should be built for their countrys future. Some
even claim to believe in democracy democracy defined as one election, one time.
(Laughter.) (Applause.)

Now, this approach to governing is being rejected by countries on this continent and
beyond. Consider the changes that have recently swept through North Africa and the
Middle East. After years of living under dictatorships, people have demanded new
leadership; in places where their voices have long been silenced, they are exercising
their right to speak, often at the top of their lungs. In places where jobs are scarce and
a tiny elite prospers while most of the population struggles, people especially young
people are channeling their frustration into social, economic, and political change.

Their message is clear to us all: The status quo is broken; the old ways of governing
are no longer acceptable; it is time for leaders to lead with accountability, treat their
people with dignity, respect their rights, and deliver economic opportunity. And if they
will not, then it is time for them to go.

Every country in the world stands to learn from these democracy movements, but this
wave of activism, which came to be known as the Arab Spring, has particular
significance for leaders in Africa and elsewhere who hold on to power at all costs, who
suppress dissent, who enrich themselves and their supporters at the expense of their
own people. To those leaders our message must be clear: Rise to this historic
occasion; show leadership by embracing a true path that honors your peoples
aspirations; create a future that your young people will believe in, defend, and help
build. Because, if you do not if you believe that the freedoms and opportunities that
we speak about as universal should not be shared by your own people, men and
women equally, or if you do not desire to help your own people work and live with
dignity, you are on the wrong side of history, and time will prove that.

The United States pledges its support for those African nations that are committed to
doing the difficult but rewarding work of building a free, peaceful, and prosperous
future. And we look to institutions like the African Union, that are dedicated to
democracy and good governance, to continue to encourage countries to walk that path
or risk isolating themselves further.

Now, of course, creating the conditions that allow people and communities to flourish in
a democracy cannot simply be a matter of holding elections; they are a necessary but
not sufficient condition. Good governance requires free, fair, and transparent elections,
a free media, independent judiciaries, and the protection of minorities. And democracy
must also deliver results for people by providing economic opportunity, jobs, and a
rising standard of living.

Now, here, again, the map of Africa is lit up with success stories. Six of the worlds 10
fastest growing economies in the last decade are in Sub-Saharan Africa, and that
percentage is expected to grow in the next five years. At a time when investors
everywhere are hunting for promising new markets and worthy new ventures, Africa is
attracting attention from all corners.

But a prosperous future is not guaranteed. Several of Africas highest performing

economies are dependent on a single industry or a single export, often a commodity,
which we know can have both good and bad consequences. It can discourage the rise
of new industries and the jobs that come with them, and it can concentrate a nations
wealth among a privileged few. Meanwhile, even while growth rates skyrocket in some
countries, in others they are rising too slowly and it can take too long for growth on
paper to translate into jobs that are spread across a country. But it is this desire that is
especially urgent among the youth of Africa that cannot be ignored.

When we saw the uprisings first in Tunisia and then in Egypt, they were about both
political change and economic change. Too many young people said they had studied,
they had worked hard. The tragic story of the young vegetable vendor who finally, in
great frustration because no matter how hard he tried, a corrupt regime would not give
him the chance to have the sweat of his brow translated into economic benefits for
himself and his family. More than 40 percent of the people living in Africa are under the
age of 15. It rises to nearly two thirds if we look at under the age of 30. These young
people are all coming of age at once and they are all connected. There are no more
secrets because of social media, because that incredible technology can inform a young
person in a rural area, where there are no roads, but there are cell phones, what is
going on in his capital or in neighboring countries.

Creating jobs and opportunity for these young people is an enormous challenge, and
one that I know the African Union is committed to addressing. Your summit later this
month is focused on youth empowerment for sustainable development. You are right
that young people must be brought into this work themselves, otherwise your hardest
working, your best and your brightest, will either be frustrated and act out against the
leaders of their country or they will leave to find opportunities in other lands. After all,
the people who are speaking out most passionately across Africa are doing so with an
eloquence and an advocacy that should, as the older generations, make us proud.
These are young people who want to make something of themselves. All they need is
the chance to do so.

Countries such as Zambia, Mali, Ghana, and Rwanda have had strong successes with
their approaches to development. They have diversified their economies and created
jobs across many sectors, which has helped to decrease poverty. They have
continuously reinvested in the foundations of their economies, building roads and power
plants and expanding access to financial services so more people can start or grow
businesses. Based on lessons weve learned from our work around the world, the
United States wants to deepen our partnerships with countries that take a broad-based,
inclusive, sustainable approach to growth.

Now, I will be the first to admit that too much of our development work in the past
provided only temporary aid and not the foundation for lasting change that helps people
permanently improve their lives and communities. But the Obama Administration is
taking a different approach. Our goal is to help countries economies grow over time so
they can meet their own needs. Ultimately, we believe that the most effective
development programs are the ones that put themselves out of business because they
spark economic activity, they help create strong institutions, they nourish a private
sector that, unleashed, will create more jobs.

And at the same time, we are asking our partners to do their part. How? Increased
transparency, strengthen tax systems, fight corruption. Every bribe paid to a customs
official or a government employee represents a hidden tax on the cost of doing business
and a drag on economic growth. We are making this a priority in our diplomatic
engagement, and we look to our partners to take concrete actions to stop corruption.
One of the possible benefits of technology is doing whats called electronic government,
e-government, putting government services online so you dont have to go through so
many hands to get that permit to start a business. And we are encouraging and will
work with countries interested in pursuing that kind of opportunity.

Were also putting a new emphasis on trade. I spoke about this a few days ago at the
AGOA Forum in Lusaka. During the past decade, Africas non-oil exports to the United
States quadrupled, and weve only begun to tap the potential. We can and we will trade
much more with each other. In fact, we are establishing, with a $120 million
commitment over the next four years, trade hubs to help businesses write business
plans; to learn how to market their products; to get the kind of technical advice that
would not be affordable for a small or medium-sized business.

Trade should not only, however, increase across the ocean or the sea to Europe and
the United States. Trade has to increase across this continent. There is less trade
among the countries within Sub-Saharan Africa than within any other region in the
world, and yet there are consumers and there are producers, but there are barriers
tariff barriers, non-tariff barriers, longstanding suspicions that have to be overcome in
order to take advantage of the economic engine that Sub-Saharan Africa can be.

I commend those countries and institutions working to accelerate economic integration,

such as the East African Community. And last year, the United States became the first
country to nominate an ambassador to the EAC, and we are pursuing a partnership to
help build a customs union and a common market. And we applaud the efforts that
began with the meeting in South Africa, last week, to discuss a tripartite free trade
agreement that will lower trade barriers across dozens of countries.
And the vision of an African common market is worth pursuing. This approach is
reflected in our Millennium Challenge Compacts, which form partnerships with
developing countries devoted to good governance, economic freedom, and investing in
ones citizens. You can see it in our Partnerships for Growth Program: We picked four
countries in the world that we thought could put all the pieces together, and two of them
are in Africa, Tanzania and Ghana. These nations have made strong commitments to
democracy, to their own development progress, and were stepping up our economic
relations with these top performers.

Another example of our new approach is our Feed the Future food security initiative.
Were investing $3.5 billion in 20 focus countries, including 12 in Africa, to revitalize
agricultural sectors so you can increase food production and availability, raise your
farmers incomes, decrease hunger and under-nutrition. And through the Feed the
Future, we are supporting the AUs Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development
Program, which, we think, has laid the foundation for more effective agricultural policies
across the continent. By investing in agriculture and strengthening nations food
security, we will see economies grow and stability increase.

Theres another important element of sustainable economic development, and that is

improvements in health. Right now, several African countries are making great strides
in bringing life-saving health interventions to more of their people. Zambia has
significantly reduced mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Nigeria has made great
progress in fighting polio through renewed vaccination efforts. And Ethiopia has
mobilized an army of 30,000 health workers to bring a basic package of care to remote
regions. We are backing these kinds of improvements through our Global Health
Initiative, which supports country-led programs and helps countries unite separate
health programs into one sustainable health system.

So we are combining our efforts through PEPFAR, through AID, through CDC, and
other U.S. Government approaches, because we think health is a critical element of a
nations security. When epidemics are prevented from occurring or ended or controlled
quickly, when people can get life-saving care when they need it and return to their jobs
and their lives, families are stronger, communities are stronger, and nations are
stronger.

And finally, when it comes to economic opportunity and development, we must

empower the continents women. The women of Africa are the hardest working women
in the world. And so often (applause) so often what they do is not included in the
formal economy, it is not measured in the GDP. And yet, if all the women in Africa, from
Cairo to Cape Town, decided they would stop working for a week, the economies of
Africa would collapse. (Applause.)

So lets include half the population. Lets treat them with dignity. Lets give them the
right and responsibility to make a contribution to the 21st century of African growth and
progress. And the United States will be your partner, because we have seen what a
difference it makes when women are educated, when they have access to health care,
when they can start businesses, when they can get credit, when they can help support
their families. So let us make sure that that remains front and center in the work we do
together.

And finally, let me address peace and security. In recent years, a quiet storyline has
emerged out of the security challenges that have developed on the continent. More and
more, the African Union and Africas sub-regional organizations and African states,
working alone or in concert, are taking the lead in solving Africas crises. In Somalia,
AMISOM, the African Unions peacekeeping mission, thanks to heroic efforts by
Ugandan and Burundian soldiers, has helped the Transitional Federal Government
make remarkable security gains in Mogadishu over the past couple of months. Al-
Shabaab, an affiliate of al-Qaida, is finally on the defensive, and we see that because
they are increasingly resorting to suicide bombers and the targeting of civilians, a sign
of desperation.

Now, we expect Somalias Transitional Federal Government to create political and

economic progress to match AMISOMs security progress. It cannot continue operating
the way it has in the past. We look to the TFG to resolve their internal divisions and
improve the lives of the millions of Somalis who continue to suffer, and we know that the
AU will be their partner in doing so.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we remain concerned about the continued
violence against women and girls and the activities of armed groups in the eastern
region of the country. Every effort by the AU and UN will be necessary to help the DRC
respond to these continuing security crises.

And then there is the situation in Sudan: South Sudan is less than one month away
from becoming the worlds newest state. And the governments of Sudan and South
Sudan have made laudable progress in implementing certain provisions of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement. But recent developments along the border,
particularly in the Abyei region, are deeply troubling. The parties must resolve the
remaining CPA issues peacefully through negotiations, not violence. And again, the
African Union has played a critical role in facilitating negotiations in Sudan. And I also
want to thank the prime minister of Ethiopia, our host country, for everything he has
done and is doing as we speak today.

I will have the opportunity later this evening to meet with representatives from both the
North and South to add my voice and that of President Obama and my government to
the chorus of voices saying the same thing: Resolve your differences, settle the
problem in Darfur. And we got some good news out of Doha today that we hope will
translate into real progress. But come together and make it possible for both of these
countries to have peaceful, prosperous futures.

And there is, of course, another country whose security matters to all of us, and that is
Libya. Libya has been the subject of many of our discussions during the past few
months. And I believe there is much on which we can agree. There is little question
that the kind of activities that, unfortunately, have affected the Libyan people for more
than 40 years run against the tide of history. And there is little question that despite
having the highest nominal GDP in Africa, thanks to oil, Libyas wealth was too
concentrated within Qadhafis circle.

But of course, all the countries here are not in agreement about the steps that the
international community, under the United Nations Security Council, have taken in Libya
up to this point. Having looked at the information available, the Security Council,
including the three African members, supported a UN mandate to protect civilians,
prevent slaughter, and create conditions for a transition to a better future for the Libyan
people themselves.

Now, I know there are some who still believe that the actions of the UN and NATO were
not called for. And I know its true that over many years Mr. Qadhafi played a major role
in providing financial support for many African nations and institutions, including the
African Union. But it has become clearer by the day that he has lost his legitimacy to
rule, and we are long past time when he can or should remain in power.

So I hope and believe that while we may disagree about some of what has brought us
to this place, we can reach agreement about what must happen now. For as long as
Mr. Qadhafi remains in Libya, the people of Libya will be in danger, refugee flows by the
thousands will continue out of Libya, regional instability will likely increase, and Libyas
neighbors will bear more and more of the consequences. None of this is acceptable,
and Qadhafi must leave power.

I urge all African states to call for a genuine ceasefire and to call for Qadhafi to step
aside. I also urge you to suspend the operations of Qadhafis embassies in your
countries, to expel pro-Qadhafi diplomats, and to increase contact and support for the
Transitional National Council. Your words and your actions could make the difference
in bringing this situation to finally close and allowing the people of Libya, on an inclusive
basis, in a unified Libya, to get to work writing a constitution and rebuilding their
country. The world needs the African Union to lead. The African Union can help guide
Libya through the transition you described in your organizations own statements, a
transition to a new government based on democracy, economic opportunity, and
security.

As we look to the future, we want to work with the African Union not only to react to
conflicts and crises but to get ahead of them, to work together on a positive agenda that
will stop crises before they start. And I think we can find many areas for collaboration.

On youth engagement, which is a priority for both the AU and President Obama, we
seek to pursue a specific work plan with you. On democracy and good governance we
already work together to monitor elections across Africa. Now we need to do more to
help countries strengthen democratic institutions. On economic growth and trade the
AU plays a major role in building Africas sub-regional architecture, and we stand ready
to support you.

So I want to commend Africas institutions for what you have already accomplished, and
in some cases, just a few years after your creation. And I will pledge my countrys
support as you continue this work. Whether you seek to deepen the integration among
your members, improve coordination, or reform your operations, we will be with you.

A good example that the chairman mentioned is what we can offer in the work we are
doing to help reform the UNs support for the African Union here in Addis Ababa. The
UN and the African Union asked the United States to identify ways their work together
could become more effective and strategic. We said yes, and now there are people at
the State Department focused on this issue working closely with many of you in this
room.

And as has already been announced, we are rejoining the UN Economic Commission
for Africa, another sign of our commitment to engaging with Africas regional
institutions. (Applause.)

On this trip to Africa, I am reminded every hour that for every challenge now facing
Africa, a solution can be found somewhere in Africa. (Applause.) You do not have to
look far afield to see political, economic, and social success.

Earlier I mentioned the Arab Spring, a name that suggests the blossoming of something
new. And what is now blooming across the Arab states has already taken root in many
African nations, commitment to democracy, recognition of human rights, investment in
economic health and education programs, and an emphasis on meeting the needs of
our young people.

Across this continent the work is underway, but there is a long season ahead. So I urge
you not to be impatient; do not grow weary while doing good. Keep showing
leadership. Keep building a path to a future worthy of the talents and aspirations of the
young men and women of Africa. The United States believes deeply in these values.
We believe passionately in the promise and potential of pluralistic democracies, of free
markets. We welcome to our shores immigrants from every country represented here,
and we can see the success stories that so many of them have built in the United
States. But I have never met an immigrant from Africa who has not said he or she
wished they could have done the very same in their own country, among their own
people, close to their family, eating the food, smelling the flowers, seeing the sights that
are in their blood. I want to see that for Africa, where people are coming home to Africa
because this is where opportunity for the future resides.

Thank you and God bless you. (Applause.)

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