President's Forum with Young African Leaders: Opportunity

Narrator:

President Obama will host the President's Forum with Young African Leaders in Washington from August 3rd to August 5th. The three-day event brings together Americans and Africans to develop innovative solutions to regional challenges. One of the major themes of the forum is increasing economic opportunity.

During his historic visit to Ghana ( http://www.america.gov/obama_ghana.html ) in July 2009, President Obama spoke of the need to take steps to advance entrepreneurship, education, and the use of technology.

President Obama:

These steps are about more than growth numbers on a balance sheet. They're about whether a young person with an education can get a job that supports a family; a farmer can transfer their goods to market; an entrepreneur with a good idea can start a business. It's about the dignity of work; it's about the opportunity that must exist for Africans in the 21st century.

Narrator:

Despite impressive economic growth in recent years, Africa has yet to be fully integrated into the global economy. Africa's share of world trade is less than 2 percent, and Africa's tremendous wealth in natural resources has not translated into greater prosperity for its people.

The Obama administration is dedicating significant resources to help address these challenges. The $3.5 billion food security initiative called Feed the Future ( http://www.america.gov/st/develop-english/2010/July/20100722113758cpataruk0.2630579.html ) assists 12 African focus countries in modernizing their agricultural sectors. The Obama administration is also working with African partners to maximize the opportunities created by the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

Africa also faces a massive digital divide with the rest of the world. Better use of technology holds enormous potential to increase the competitiveness of African companies on the global stage. Recently in Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke about the more effective use of technology in development.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton:

I've said many times that while talent may be distributed universally, opportunity is not. And the reality of the world we live in today is that technology and innovation are the great equalizers and can be used to create opportunity where there is very little of that commodity.

Over the last 17 years, and particularly in the last year and a half, I've seen that happening. I've seen it happening in Kenya, where farmers have had their incomes grow by as much as 30 percent since they started using mobile banking technology. In sub-Saharan Africa, women entrepreneurs are using the Internet to get microcredit loans. And in many countries, text-based tip lines are providing unprecedented access to expert advice on everything from agriculture to health care. And we need to replicate that progress and take it to scale in the lives of the billion people at the bottom of the world's economic ladder.

Narrator:

An example of the effective use of technology in development can be found in the Apps for Africa ( http://www.america.gov/st/scitech-english/2010/July/20100716150132SztiwomoD4.928225e-02.html ) program. The program is a partnership involving the U.S. State Department and three African technology organizations - the Innovation Hub, or iHub; Appfrica Labs, and the Social Development Network, or SODNET. Bruce Wharton, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs in the State Department's African Affairs Bureau explains the program.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Bruce Wharton:

Apps for Africa is a competition basically, a challenge, in which program developers from five East African countries are being challenged to come up with simple online tools that address problems or challenges in Africa. Computer-based or cell phone-based or hand-held that will give people some kind of tool that they need. A farmer being able to get an accurate weather forecast via SMS or health information over cell phones. Basically we're leaving it up to the African developers to sit down with civil society and find out what the challenges are and develop responses to them.

Narrator:

The President's Forum with Young African Leaders takes place in Washington from August 3rd to August 5th. For more information, visit www.america.gov ( http://www.america.gov ).

To learn more about the Apps for Africa program, visit the program website at apps4africa.org ( http://www.apps4africa.org/ ).

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