Hope Defines Obama's Legacy in Africa

Hope Defines Obama's Legacy¹ in Africa

NAIROBI — 

When Barack Obama was elected U.S. president in 2008, the event was hailed across Africa. He is the son of a Kenyan, after all, and many on the continent considered Obama one of their own.

So Africans' hopes were high when he took office. Perhaps too high, suggests Kenyan political commentator² Barrack Muluka.

"If we in Africa were looking up to him, to come with a magic wand to solve our problems, then I think our expectations were misplaced," said Muluka. "He was not the president of Africa. He has been the president of the United States of America, elected by American citizens, and his foreign policy will be governed first and foremost by American interests."

Muluka argues that because Obama was hindered by frequent questions about his birthplace, especially during his first term in office, he couldn't be perceived as favoring the continent, and therefore did not do as much as he might have otherwise.

But as president, Obama made four trips to sub-Saharan Africa, visiting six countries. He challenged African governments on issues like human, LGBT and women's rights.

He set the tone during his first visit in 2009, to Ghana, when he challenged some African leaders.

"Now, make no mistake: History is on the side of these brave Africans, not with those who use coups³ or change constitutions to stay in power," Obama said. "Africa doesn't need strongmen. It needs strong institutions."

Trade, not just aid

A highlight of his Africa foreign policy has been his emphasis on trade, not just aid.

"I think President Obama built a framework for the U.S. corporate⁴ sector⁵ to get engaged with Africa by consistently engaging through the business councils and so forth," said Aly-Khan Satchu, a Nairobi-based financial analyst⁶. "It sort of 'de-risked' Africa in a lot of U.S. corporate minds. And I think that was an important achievement that the president made."

Obama also made a point of addressing African youth, a group he focused on throughout his time in office.

"When it comes to the people of Kenya, particularly the youths, I believe there is no limit to what you can achieve," Obama said during his state visit to Kenya in July 2015.

And Obama's message of hope to Africa and its young people may be what defines his legacy here.

"He's shown Africa a higher path, and I think he's done this generally. That's been his politics," Satchu said. "He's always lifted people's heads up and said, 'Look where you can go.' "

Obama launched the Young African Leaders Initiative in 2010 to help promising⁷ young people across the continent prepare for leadership positions. More than 250,000 people have joined the YALI network, and 1,000 fellows attended leadership programs at U.S. colleges and universities in 2016.

In 2013, he launched the Power Africa initiative, to try to double access to electricity across sub-Saharan Africa. Obama's legacy also includes increased military support in Somalia to fight al-Shabab, and in Cameroon and Chad to tackle Boko Haram, as well as his intervention⁸ in Libya. The latter was part of the NATO-led, multistate military intervention, a response to events during Libya's civil war in 2011.

1 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

2 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

3 coups   

n.意外而成功的行动( coup的名词复数 )；政变；努力办到难办的事

参考例句：

• China has seen many political coups within the ruling class. 中国统治阶级内部发生过很多政变。 来自互联网
• Thailand has had eighteen coups or coup attendance since nineteen thirty-two. 泰国1932年以来有18次政变或参加政变。 来自互联网

4 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

5 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

8 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。