Headline : U.S. president Obama meets civil society leaders in Kenya.
U.S. President Barack Obama met with civil society leaders in Kenya on Sunday (July 26) to learn about how the country is dealing with environmental and social issues.
During the gathering at Kenyatta University, issues such as women's rights, education and extremism were discussed.
"You can't just fight terrorism through military and the police. You also have to change people's hearts and minds and give them a sense that they are included in society and enlist them in assisting in fighting against terrorism," Obama said.
On Saturday (July 25), the U.S. president challenged Kenya's stance on homosexuality during a press conference saying that discriminating against gays was like treating people differently because of race, drawing criticism from anti-gay activists who said he was imposing his morality on the continent.
In response to the same question, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said the United States and Kenya shared many values but not in all areas, saying gay rights was a "non-issue" for Kenyans.
Obama said equality was an essential ingredient for a successful state.
"Ultimately I just want to remind everybody that Kenya's prosperity, its freedom, its opportunity, the strength of its democracy, is going to depend on Kenyans. It's ultimately up to the people of those countries to determine who leads them and their form of government. But, we are not going to apologise for believing in certain values and ideals. And I may interact with a government out of necessity where we have common interests. But if there are areas where we disagree, I will also be very blunt in my disagreement. And that's true whether it's Russia, or China or some of our European friends or a great friend like Kenya," he told the audience.
"But I'm very encouraged to see that we've got such a strong civil society that's going to help move Kenya forward and also help create a stronger relationship between the United States and Kenya for years to come. So thank you for being here, it was a great conversation," he added.
After Kenya, Obama travels on Sunday to Ethiopia, a nation brought to its knees by famine in the 1980s that now boasts some of the fastest economic growth rates on the continent.
U.S. President Barack Obama met with civil society leaders in Kenya on Sunday (July 26) to learn about how the country is dealing with environmental and social issues.
During the gathering at Kenyatta University, issues such as women's rights, education and extremism were discussed.
"You can't just fight terrorism through military and the police. You also have to change people's hearts and minds and give them a sense that they are included in society and enlist them in assisting in fighting against terrorism," Obama said.
On Saturday (July 25), the U.S. president challenged Kenya's stance on homosexuality during a press conference saying that discriminating against gays was like treating people differently because of race, drawing criticism from anti-gay activists who said he was imposing his morality on the continent.
In response to the same question, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said the United States and Kenya shared many values but not in all areas, saying gay rights was a "non-issue" for Kenyans.
Obama said equality was an essential ingredient for a successful state.
"Ultimately I just want to remind everybody that Kenya's prosperity, its freedom, its opportunity, the strength of its democracy, is going to depend on Kenyans. It's ultimately up to the people of those countries to determine who leads them and their form of government. But, we are not going to apologise for believing in certain values and ideals. And I may interact with a government out of necessity where we have common interests. But if there are areas where we disagree, I will also be very blunt in my disagreement. And that's true whether it's Russia, or China or some of our European friends or a great friend like Kenya," he told the audience.
"But I'm very encouraged to see that we've got such a strong civil society that's going to help move Kenya forward and also help create a stronger relationship between the United States and Kenya for years to come. So thank you for being here, it was a great conversation," he added.
After Kenya, Obama travels on Sunday to Ethiopia, a nation brought to its knees by famine in the 1980s that now boasts some of the fastest economic growth rates on the continent.