PRESIDENT OBAMA'S REMARKS AT UBUNGO SYMBION POWER PLANT IN TANZANIA

FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE

Remarks by President Obama at Ubungo Symbion Power Plant

Ubungo Plaza, Symbion Power Plant
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

10:58 A.M. EAT

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good morning, everybody. Please have a seat. It is wonderful to be here with President Kikwete. I want to thank everybody from Ubungo Power Plant for this visit. We are here today to focus on one of the biggest hurdles to Africa’s economic development -- the fact that nearly 70 percent of Africans lack access to electricity.

And that’s why in my speech in Cape Town I announced a major new initiative -- Power Africa -- to double access to electricity here in Africa. Now, the first step that we’re going to take is to try to bring electricity to 20 million homes and businesses.

And this plant represents the kind of public-private partnership that we want to replicate all across the continent. This facility was idle. But the Tanzanian government, under President Kikwete’s leadership, committed to making reforms in the energy sector. With support from the Millennium Challenge grant, General Electric, and Symbion, they got it up and running again. More Tanzanians got electricity.

So Power Africa embraces this model. Public and private resources will be matched with projects led by African countries that are taking the lead on reform. In this case, African governments commit to energy reforms. And the U.S. is committing some $7 billion in support, and private sector companies have already committed more than $9 billion. And this is just the beginning -- because we look forward to even more companies joining this effort.

So this is a win-win. It’s a win for Africans -- families get to electrify their homes; businesses can run their plants; investors can say if we locate in an African country, that they’re going to be able to power up in a reliable way. All this will make economies grow. It’s a win for the United States because the investments made here, including in cleaner energy, means more exports for the U.S. and more jobs in the U.S. And, obviously, a growing market in Africa will mean more opportunities for all countries.

And this reflects -- is representative of my new approach when it comes to development. I believe that the purpose of development should be to build capacity and to help other countries actually to stand on their own feet -- whether it’s in agriculture, in health systems, in electricity. Instead of perpetual aid, development has to fuel investment and economic growth so that assistance is no longer necessary, or some of the more successful countries in Africa can start being donors instead of recipients of assistance.

But development isn’t just about the big projects. Sometimes simple ideas can bring about transformational change. Some of you saw the Soccket -- the soccer ball that we were kicking around that generates electricity as it’s kicked. I don’t want to get too technical, but I thought it was pretty cool. And this is developed by two young women from the U.S., so Soccket turns one of the most popular games in Africa into a source of electricity and progress. And you can imagine this in villages all across the continent.

So that’s just the example of the kind of creativity that is possible if we’ve got the public sector and the private sector, and the not-for-profit sectors all working together.

Now, in order for this to work, then we all have to feel a sense of urgency. One of the things, Mr. President, that I learned around the business roundtable is if we are going to electrify Africa, we’ve got to do it with more speed. We can’t have projects that take, seven, eight, nine years to be approved and to get online. If we’re going to make this happen, we’ve got to cut through the red tape, and that can only happen with leadership like the leadership that President Kikwete has shown.

We’ve got to be able to say, when the environmental studies are done, when the planning is done, when the paperwork is done, we can move this approval process, clear the red tape, make sure that the regulatory structure is in place, and get these things up and running in a timely way -- because it’s hard to attract private-sector business if they feel as if their money is going to be tied up forever in uncertainty. So we want to focus on speed, but we also want to do it right. And the United States intends to be a strong partner in this process.

This is my last stop on my trip. We’re going to be heading home right after this. And as I think about the week that we’ve spent here, I think about the farmers in Senegal who are harnessing new technologies and, as a consequence, increasing yields; women who started off with one hectare now having sixteen, and doubling or tripling their income, and buying a tractor for the first time and suddenly they’re employing people, and the entire community is benefiting.

I think about amazing young Africans that I saw at the town hall meeting down in Soweto, and their eagerness to promote trade and not just to seek aid, to be entrepreneurs and starts businesses, and just hoping that the governments will support them and that the efforts will be made to increase transparency and accountability, and to eliminate corruption.

I think about the visit here to Tanzania -- the incredible progress that’s been made in reducing malaria and HIV and tuberculosis; the progress that’s been made in terms of education and agricultural improvements; and progress that’s being made as represented by this power plant.

And I think of all these things, and I see leaders like President Kikwete who are making every effort to do the right thing, and I’m inspired. Because I’m absolutely convinced that, with the right approach, Africa and its people can unleash a new era of prosperity. And that’s what Power Africa is all about. That’s what Feed the Future is all about. That’s what all our efforts are going to be about -- is making sure that Africans have the tools to create a better life for their people, and that the United States is a partner in that process. It’s going to be good for Africa, it’s going to be good for the United States, and it’s going to be good for the world.

So thank you very much, everyone. And most of all, thank you, President Kikwete, for your wonderful hospitality. Thank you. (Applause.)

WHITE HOUSE WORKS TO CURB BULLYING

FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
Empowering Young People to Build a Kinder, Braver World

Posted by Valerie Jarrett on August 08, 2012 at 09:57 AM EDT
　
Yesterday, Cynthia Germanotta and I had the opportunity to discuss how to empower young people and end bullying at the Third Annual Bullying Prevention Summit in Washington, D.C. Cynthia and her daughter, Lady Gaga, recently founded the Born This Way Foundation to empower young people with the skills and opportunities they need to build a kinder, braver world.
　
As moms, both Cynthia and I realize the impact that bullying—and kindness—can have on young people. We both agreed that we must all stay focused on ending bullying because no young person, or their loved ones, should have to endure the pain, agony, and loss to our families, schools, and communities that can come with bullying.
　
We also agreed that we need to reinforce positive behavior and motivate everyone, particularly young people, to get engaged.
　
President Obama believes that together, we can end bullying. The President and his Administration are committed to developing a comprehensive policy, and all of us have a vital role to play: students, parents, and school administrators, as well as political, business, community, and faith leaders.
　
President Obama and the First Lady put a national spotlight on this important issue by hosting the first-ever White House Conference on Bullying Prevention last year. The conference brought together students, teachers, advocates, the private sector, foundations, and policymakers to share best practices to make our schools safer. There, the President said, "Bullying isn’t a problem that makes headlines every day. But every day it touches the lives of young people all across this country… If there’s one goal of this conference, it’s to dispel the myth that bullying is just a harmless rite of passage or an inevitable part of growing up. It’s not."
　
In March, Attorney General Eric Holder and I both spoke at the White House LGBT Conference on Safe Schools and Communities in Arlington, Texas, where we highlighted the many steps the Obama Administration has taken to end bullying. That Conference came just days after the Departments of Education and Justice reached a landmark settlement in the Anoka-Hennepin School District following an extensive investigation into bullying and harassment against students who are or are perceived to be LGBT.
　
The following month, the White House announced President Obama’s endorsement of both the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act. The Student Non-Discrimination Act, sponsored by Senator Al Franken of Minnesota, and Representative Jared Polis of Colorado, would prohibit discrimination in public schools against any student on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. And the Safe Schools Improvement Act, sponsored by Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Representative Linda Sanchez of California, would require school districts to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment, including on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion.
　
The same day the President endorsed both bills, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and I hosted a screening of the documentary Bully at the White House. Like many in the audience, I was deeply moved by the movie and the conversation that followed with director Lee Hirsch and several of the young people and parents featured in the film. No young person or family should have to endure what they went through. Those children are all of our responsibility.
　
Recently, the Department of Education has also issued guidance to schools, colleges, and universities, making it clear that existing civil rights laws apply to acts of bullying that amount to discriminatory harassment. But schools have not just a legal responsibility, but also a moral responsibility, to protect our young people from harassment.
　
The Department of Education has also worked with states to help them in their own anti-bullying efforts, and recently released a report that documents key components of anti-bullying laws in all 50 states. And the Department of Education has issued guidance to governors and state school officials, in order to help them incorporate the best practices for protecting students. The Department of Education’s Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center recently worked with the National Association for Pupil Transportation to provide training to help create a safe and supportive climate on our nation’s school buses.
　
We also recently re-launched StopBullying.gov, a website that has detailed descriptions of the work we’re doing on bullying, along with resources for young people, parents, educators, and advocates.
　
The Obama Administration will continue to work to end bullying, and we are eager to work with anyone who is willing to help make our society more kind, inclusive, and equal. But our most powerful partner in this work is our nation’s youth.
　
That’s why yesterday, I announced a new contest to give young people another way to create a more positive and healthy environment in their schools and communities. Students are encouraged to submit videos answering the question: "How have you been more than a bystander?"
　
All videos must be created by individuals or groups of individuals between the ages of 13 and 18. A panel of expert judges will help narrow the field, and then the public will choose their favorite video.
　
You can learn more about the contest – and other resources and opportunities– at StopBullying.gov.
　
Together, let’s build what Lady Gaga and her mother Cynthia call "a kinder, braver world" so that our schools and communities are places where everyone can learn and thrive, without the threat of bullying.