On Saturday, President Obama made a one-day visit to Ghana, in which he strongly emphasized the responsibility of the African people for the future of African nations and discouraged blaming the legacy of colonialism for Africa’s ongoing problems. Obama asserted that Africa needs strong institutions and good governance and said “Africa’s future is up to Africans.”

African responsibility must accompany US aid money, which itself must be reformed. In his speech, Obama said: “By cutting costs that go to Western consultants and administration, we will put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves… Aid is not an end in itself. The purpose of foreign assistance must be creating the conditions where it is no longer needed.”

Source: New York Times and BBC.