Ahead of a visit to Ghana, President Obama has given an interview to AllAfrica.com. It's worth a read. Obama speaks of the US wanting to partner those who want to help themselves. (Listen also to what he says here about wealthier nations having a moral obligation to provide assistance.) At the same time, he lays emphasis on the need for good governance, and on the importance of African leaders taking responsibility, being held accountable, and not making excuses for 'corruption or poor governance'. He says, by way of offering an example:
The West and the United States [have] not been responsible for what's happened to Zimbabwe's economy over the last 15 or 20 years.
It may be easier for Obama to speak in these terms than it is for other political leaders outside Africa. But it comes under the heading, once more, of saying openly things 'that too often are said only behind closed doors'.
