Obama: Africa aid must be matched by good governance

Obama delivered the message on his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa since taking office in January as the first black U.S. president. He chose stable, democratic Ghana based on his view it can serve as a model for the rest of Africa.

Fresh from a G8 summit where leaders agreed to spend $20 billion (12.3 billion pounds) to improve food security in poor countries, Obama stressed that while the United States was ready to help, Africans must take a leading role in sorting out their vast array of problems.

"Development depends upon good governance," Obama said in a speech to Ghana's parliament. "That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That is the change that can unlock Africa's potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans."

"As for America and the West, our commitment must be measured by more than just the dollars we spend. I have pledged substantial increases in our foreign assistance, which is in Africa's interest and America's," he said.

"But the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of aid that helps people scrape by -- it is whether we are partners in building the capacity for transformational change."

In an address that offered the most detailed view of his Africa policy, he took aim at corruption and rights abuses rampant across the continent, warning that growth and development would be retarded until such problems were tackled.

"No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top," Obama said.

(Reporting by Matt Spetalnick)