| Kippreport.com

“Africa doesn’t need strongmen,” says Obama in Ghana

July 11, 2009 9:26 by Dana El Baltaji

In his address to the Ghanaian Parliament, US President Barack Obama hailed African nations’ strides toward democracy and pledged to fight corruption, reports the Los Angeles Times.

“History is on the side of these brave Africans, and not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power,” Obama said.

“Africa doesn’t need strongmen,” he said. “It needs strong institutions.”

“It is never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology,” he added. “It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systematic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them.”

Tags: Africa, Ghana, US President Barack Obama