The United States Secretary, Ms Hillary Rodham Clinton has said that the government of her country strongly believes in the future of the African continent.
Clinton who made this known at the Innovation Summit and Mentoring Partnership with Young African Leaders at George C. Marshall Center Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, added that the goal of the United States is to be a partner and a friend as African youths lead the way into the kind of future that is so well deserved.
Her words: "You've travelled here from more than 40 nations, and you are here because of what you have already achieved. You are leaders in many fields: the arts and business, technology, education, journalism, and civil society"
"And so we have a bet on you. And that bet is that you will use your talents and your skills to help bring greater prosperity, progress, and a better future to all of the people whose efforts so desperately need to be supported"
"You are here because of your potential. And as President Obama has said, Africa is not a world apart; it is a fundamental part of our interconnected world. And we want to do a better job of making those interconnections and then supporting and nurturing them, because we believe to strengthen the global economy we should look to Africa, one of the fastest growing regions in the world. There are so many opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses, for trade and investment that would be beneficial for Africans and for Americans"
Ms Clinton pressed further that the US wants to support the rise of democracies and give more people the chance to live under governments of their own choosing. "And to do that, we look to Africa, where new democracies are growing stronger every day and where citizens have found innovative methods to promote good governance and hold leaders accountable" she noted.
"And to make progress on the defining challenges of our time, like climate change and clean energy, global health and education, preventing violent extremism, defending human rights, once again, we look to Africa, because African communities have been on the frontlines of these issues for years" she also said.
The US Secretary further said that President Obama and his Administration has made building strong partnerships with the nations and people of Africa a key element of our foreign policy, stressing that the government is convinced that the story of the 21st century will be written in large part by African youths.
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