Obama Kicks off Africa Visit, Hails Kenya’s Growth and Potential
Obama, speaking at the annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi, said half the money will be used to back young and female entrepreneurs worldwide. Obama hailed economic development that has helped transform Kenya and other parts of Africa and called on the rest of the world to look beyond “the stereotypes.”
“Kenya is leading the way,” Obama said. “When I was here in Nairobi 10 years ago, it looked very different than it does today. The incredible progress that’s been made — imagine what could happen if more and more of our global business leaders and global capital paid a visit and actually had a conversation as opposed to just being blinded by some of the stereotypes that have been promoted. This thing could move even faster.”
Obama is the first sitting United States president to visit Kenya and received a rousing welcome to his ancestral home. During the two-day stop, he will hold talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and other top officials.
“I’m proud to be the first U.S. president to visit Kenya and obviously this is personal for me,” he said. “There’s a reason why my name’s Barack Hussein Obama. My father came from these parts. I have family and relatives here. And in my visits over the years, walking the streets of Nairobi, I’ve come to know the warmth and the spirit of the Kenyan people.”
Shortly after he arrived Friday night, Obama had dinner with three dozen of his Kenyan relatives, including his half sister and his step grandmother. He will not visit his late father’s village due to time constrains and security concerns. Sunday, Obama will leave for Ethiopia, where he will spend two days.
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