Growing them strong together full#
Growing them strong together free#

Here in Zambia, young people stood in long lines, waiting to cast their vote – because they were determined to change the future of their country and the course of their lives. Zambia’s reform agenda today presents a model of democratic and economic renewal for all of us.Īnd Zambia’s young people are raising the bar for the country’s future. Today, I have the honor of speaking from one of the bright spots. We see it in Niger, where President Bazoum is the first democratically elected president to take over from another in the country’s history.

Growing them strong together free#

We see it in The Gambia, which has instituted a “zero tolerance” policy on official corruption and recently held free and fair legislative and presidential elections. We see it in Mozambique, where half the ministers are women, the Parliament regularly brings the cabinet in for tough questions, and civil society plays a critical role in keeping the government accountable. The hard work to ensure democracy delivers is represented by all of you, sitting right here, right now. Nowhere is that more clear than in democracies across the African continent.

This freedom and fearlessness are why democracies are stronger and better able to find creative solutions to the challenges we face.

Growing them strong together full#

It gives more people more options – for their lives, for their livelihoods, for their futures.Īccountable, responsive democratic governance is the best tool we have to deliver on the full potential of our people – and the full promise of our nations.ĭemocracies aren’t afraid to question themselves or welcome new ideas, grounded in their firm belief that everyone’s voice matters. A system that is greater than individuals, moments, or whims.ĭemocracy delivers accountability – the means for people to exercise fully their rights and freedoms, and the institutions to make sure governments respond to the people they represent.Īnd democracy delivers choices. But it also delivers much more than the material benefits.ĭemocracy delivers hope for change – the possibility that our societies could always get better, and our futures could always get brighter.Īnd it delivers the understanding that mistakes can always be corrected – and conflicts can be resolved without violence.ĭemocracy delivers resilience – values that endure and institutions that last - even as we evolve and improve. We represent different backgrounds, different perspectives, different stories.īut what unites all of us is this: the firm conviction that democracy delivers.ĭemocracy delivers inclusive economic growth.

We all come together from different countries. My heartfelt thanks to the government of the Republic of Zambia for graciously hosting us here today – and warmly welcoming me to this beautiful and diverse country. It’s an honor to represent the United States here at the Africa-regional event of the second Summit for Democracy.

Your Excellency, President Hakainde Hichilema, Minister of Foreign Affairs Stanley Kakubo, Minister of Justice Mulambo Haimbe, Heads of Delegations from across the continent, distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen, all protocols observed …