This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/25/barack-obama-hails-africa-continent-on-the-move-kenya-nairobi
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Barack Obama hails Africa as continent 'on the move' | Barack Obama hails Africa as continent 'on the move' |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Barack Obama has heralded Africa as a continent “on the move” at the opening of a US-sponsored business summit in the capital of Kenya, the African nation to which he has deep family ties. | Barack Obama has heralded Africa as a continent “on the move” at the opening of a US-sponsored business summit in the capital of Kenya, the African nation to which he has deep family ties. |
| “Africa is one of the fastest growing regions of the world,” the US president said in Nairobi. “People are being lifted out of poverty.” | “Africa is one of the fastest growing regions of the world,” the US president said in Nairobi. “People are being lifted out of poverty.” |
| Related: Barack Obama visits Kenya - in pictures | |
| Obama’s visit to Kenya – the first by a sitting US leader – has been keenly anticipated in a country that views him as a son. The president’s late father was born in Kenya and many family members still live here, including his elderly step-grandmother. | Obama’s visit to Kenya – the first by a sitting US leader – has been keenly anticipated in a country that views him as a son. The president’s late father was born in Kenya and many family members still live here, including his elderly step-grandmother. |
| “This is personal for me,” Obama said. “There’s a reason why my name is Barack Hussein Obama.” | “This is personal for me,” Obama said. “There’s a reason why my name is Barack Hussein Obama.” |
| Much of the president’s visit is focused on boosting business and security ties with Kenya, a growing economy grappling with the threat of terrorism, most notably from the Somalia-based al-Shabab network. | Much of the president’s visit is focused on boosting business and security ties with Kenya, a growing economy grappling with the threat of terrorism, most notably from the Somalia-based al-Shabab network. |
| Nearly two dozen US politicians and 200 American investors have joined the president on his trip, which also includes a stop in Ethiopia. | Nearly two dozen US politicians and 200 American investors have joined the president on his trip, which also includes a stop in Ethiopia. |
| Although relationships between the two countries are good, Kenyan delegates have been annoyed by a CNN.com report describing the east African nation as a “hotbed of terror”. | |
| A Twitter campaign using the hashtag #SomeoneTellCNN led the network to backtrack on its claim. An editors’ note added to the story read: “The headline and lead of this article has been recast to indicate the terror threat is a regional one.” | |
| President Uhuru Kenyatta even joined in during a speech at the summit. To laughter and applause he told attendees they would find Kenya to be “a hotbed of vibrant culture, spectacular natural beauty, and a wonderful people with infinite possibility”. | |
| Kenya has struggled to contain the threat from al-Shabab militants based in neighboring Somalia. Al-Shabab, a group linked to al-Qaeda, has conducted major attacks in Kenya, including the 2013 attack on Nairobi’s Westgate mall and an April attack in Garissa town that killed nearly 150 people. | Kenya has struggled to contain the threat from al-Shabab militants based in neighboring Somalia. Al-Shabab, a group linked to al-Qaeda, has conducted major attacks in Kenya, including the 2013 attack on Nairobi’s Westgate mall and an April attack in Garissa town that killed nearly 150 people. |
| Speaking at the Global Entrepreneurship summit on Saturday, Obama announced more than $1bn (£645m) of new commitments from the US government, as well as American banks, foundations and philanthropists. | |
| Half of the money will be earmarked to support women and young people, who Obama says face bigger obstacles when trying to start businesses. “If half of your team is not playing, you’ve got a problem,” he said, referring to women being excluded from the formal economy. | |
| Related: Obama faces political minefield during Kenyan 'homecoming' | |
| Obama hosted the inaugural entrepreneurship summit at the White House in 2010. This year’s conference is the first to be held in sub-Saharan Africa. | Obama hosted the inaugural entrepreneurship summit at the White House in 2010. This year’s conference is the first to be held in sub-Saharan Africa. |
| The Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, who co-hosted the summit with Obama, lamented that the continent’s security and other challenges, including the 2013 attack on a Nairobi mall, had created a negative reputation. He said he hoped Obama’s visit would help change the narrative about Kenya and Africa. | The Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, who co-hosted the summit with Obama, lamented that the continent’s security and other challenges, including the 2013 attack on a Nairobi mall, had created a negative reputation. He said he hoped Obama’s visit would help change the narrative about Kenya and Africa. |
| “Africa is the world’s newest and most promising frontier of limitless opportunity,” Kenyatta said. “Gone are the days when the only lens to view our continent was one of despair and indignity.” | “Africa is the world’s newest and most promising frontier of limitless opportunity,” Kenyatta said. “Gone are the days when the only lens to view our continent was one of despair and indignity.” |
| In a message on Twitter, Obama wrote: “Proud to be the first American President to visit Kenya. Happy to see family, and to talk with young Kenyans about the future.” | In a message on Twitter, Obama wrote: “Proud to be the first American President to visit Kenya. Happy to see family, and to talk with young Kenyans about the future.” |
| After his speech, Obama toured an innovation fair highlighting the work of vendors working with his Power Africa initiative, which aims to double sub-Saharan access to electricity. | After his speech, Obama toured an innovation fair highlighting the work of vendors working with his Power Africa initiative, which aims to double sub-Saharan access to electricity. |
| As he looked at solar panels and posed for photos, Obama acknowledged concerns that the programme’s progress had been slow, but said it would soon help millions and that building power plants took time, even in the US. | As he looked at solar panels and posed for photos, Obama acknowledged concerns that the programme’s progress had been slow, but said it would soon help millions and that building power plants took time, even in the US. |
| Obama arrived in Nairobi late on Friday and spent the evening reuniting with his father’s family. Security was tight in the Kenyan capital, with some of the city’s normally bustling streets closed to traffic and pedestrians. | Obama arrived in Nairobi late on Friday and spent the evening reuniting with his father’s family. Security was tight in the Kenyan capital, with some of the city’s normally bustling streets closed to traffic and pedestrians. |
| US and Kenyan flags lined the main road from the airport and billboards bearing Obama’s picture dotted the city. | US and Kenyan flags lined the main road from the airport and billboards bearing Obama’s picture dotted the city. |
| Before a formal meeting with Kenyatta on Saturday afternoon, Obama was due to lay a wreath at the site of the deadly 1998 bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi. | Before a formal meeting with Kenyatta on Saturday afternoon, Obama was due to lay a wreath at the site of the deadly 1998 bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi. |