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| South African President Jacob Zuma (left) and US President Barack Obama leave following a joint press conference at the Union Building in Pretoria, on June 29, 2013. President Obama has promised to visit Kenya before the end of his presidency. |
NAIROBI, KENYA: President Barack Obama
on Saturday said impending cases facing Kenya's top leadership at the
International Criminal Court (ICC) was a factor he probably did not
visit Kenya in his Africa tour.
He however said he has another three and a half years in office and might visit the country still as President of America.
“It
is commendable that Kenyans had a peaceful elections that did not
result in any violence as witnessed in 2007, it is not the best time
for me as president of America to visit Kenya though, Kenya’s
administration still has issues to manage at the International Criminal
Court,’ he said.
"But I still have some three and a half years in
the office and might visit the country, I have special attachment to
Kenya as you all know," he said.
Responding to satellite questions from Kenyans in Nairobi on any
foreign policy shift from his adminstration following Kenya's growing
close trade ties with China and other countries from the East. Obama said Kenya was free to trade with anybody provided the relationship was symbiotic.
“I
want to clarify that my visit to Africa is not related to China growing
influence in Africa, Africa is the next big thing and everybody is
encouraged to invest in the continent but any kind of trade should
benefit the people of Africa,” he said in Soweto on Saturday.
"If
somebdy is coming to construct roads in Africa, let Africans benefit in
terms of offering labour ans etc, we dont want to see Africa just as the
producer of raw materials yet somebody is pocketing the money," he
said.
He said his administration was committed to empowering youth
and small business to create job opportunities in the continent. “We
are committed to uplifting small businesses, and I am hopeful that
incentives such as the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act ( AGOA) will be renewed upon expiry to enable Africa easily trade with the US,” he said.
AGOA
provides reforming African countries with the most liberal access to
the lucrative US market, an offer that is available to countries or
region with which the United States does not have a Free Trade
Agreement.
Under the Act, tangible incentives are offered to encourage African countries open their economies.
"I know the act is expiring in 2015 but I am hopeful of renewal to enable businesses in the Sub-saharan Africa easily access markets in America," he said.
The US President is expected in Capetown on Sunday where he will address another audience on 'future we can build' at the University of Capetown.
He will round up his Africa tour in Tanzania, a neigbouring country with Kenya where traces his family roots.
"I know the act is expiring in 2015 but I am hopeful of renewal to enable businesses in the Sub-saharan Africa easily access markets in America," he said.
The US President is expected in Capetown on Sunday where he will address another audience on 'future we can build' at the University of Capetown.
He will round up his Africa tour in Tanzania, a neigbouring country with Kenya where traces his family roots.
Source: The Standard Kenya
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