Obama's speech at AU headquarters

The US president told African leaders on Tuesday that the US was a "partner" and a "friend" to the continent, adding that progress will "depend on security and peace."

"As Africa stands against terror and conflict, I want you to know the United States stands with you," Obama said at the AU's headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

But rights groups said President Obama should not have gone to Ethiopia, which is accused of committing serious human rights violations. Numerous journalists and bloggers have been incarcerated there since the government introduced a new anti-terror bill in 2009.

Liesl Louw-Vaudran is an expert on the African Union at the Institute of Security Studies in Pretoria, South Africa and has been speaking to DW about Obama's visit.

DW: To what extent has Obama advanced the cause of human rights in Africa? Has he given authoritarian African leaders any encouragement - or incentive - to change their ways?

Liesl Louw-Vaudran: I think it was good that Obama spoke up about a certain number of issues. The issue around third terms and presidents respecting the constitutions is a crisis on the continent at the moment. It is a source of instability in places like Burundi and even in the DRC, where the opposition are taking to the streets.

Obama spoke about that quite at length and I think human rights activists on the continent will be happy about that. That encourages them to continue to oppose the whole issue of third terms. He also spoke in Kenya, although not explicitly like in Addis Ababa, about gay rights. He spoke about freedom of speech. In Ethiopia, there is very little freedom of speech and journalists are regularly put behind bars.

So people have been very critical of him for even setting foot in Ethiopia because Ethiopia is certainly not considered a democracy. I think it was good that he spoke up on those issues.

Can you see the African Union taking action on presidential terms in the wake of Obama's remarks?

Yes. The tricky thing is the African Union Commission itself has very little power. The highest decision-making body of the African Union is the Assembly of Heads of State and they met in June in South Africa and they will meet again in January [2016] in Addis Ababa.

The AU Commission and its chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma really have no powers to make decisions. It is a pity that Obama couldn't stand up in front of the heads of states to make such a speech. Obviously one can't see that happening if he would come to an AU assembly meeting - he would derail the whole gathering completely.

People say that's why he chose to go to the AU headquarters. But it has less meaning. It's like going to Brussels when there is no meeting of European heads of states. It is rather odd almost because the people he spoke to at Addis Ababa are not real decision-makers.

Talking about job creation, Obama warned that Africans need only to look to the Middle East and North Africa to understand how large number of jobless youths who felt disenfranchised can fuel disability and disorder. Is this a warning African leaders are likely to heed?

Yes, one would hope so. Africa's challenge in terms of job creation is very complex and long term. More than 50 percent of the population of several African countries are young people. To create jobs is a big challenge; one way it can be managed is by creating infrastructure and entrepreneurships. His "excuse" for coming to Kenya was to address the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi. And that is one of the ways African countries are trying to create jobs.

One of Obama's flagship projects is called Power Africa that was launched two years ago. It's a seven-billion-dollar project [to be funded] over a number of years to encourage various forms of renewable energy on the continent. And, of course, American companies are cashing in on it. And then there is also Feed the Future, which is helping agriculture and small farmers in eleven African countries.

The US is trying to contribute in its way to creating jobs and greater development. But ultimately, as Obama said, it is up to Africa countries themselves.

Many Africans were disappointed by the lack of interest shown in their continent by the first African American president of the US, especially during his first term. Has this visit made amends for that?

Yes, I think Kenyans are happy that he came to Kenya after all this time. If you listened to all his speeches and the statements that he made during this trip, he was much more inclined to own up to his own legacy as being an African American with roots in Kenya.

These are things he never mentioned before and one can understand why, because of the domestic context within America. He probably first had to establish himself as a true American before coming to Africa to own up to [his African heritage].

Nigerians are still unhappy that he never set foot in Nigeria even though he did invite the new president Muhammadu Buhari a few days ago to the US for a visit. Also, there are still disappointments that there aren't really large-scale important projects that were launched.

As I said Power Africa is still very much starting out. There is always the criticism that President George W. Bush did more for Africa than all the Democrat presidents - either Bill Clinton or Barack Obama - because of projects like AGOA, The African Growth and Opportunity Act, which Obama just renewed and which has been fantastic for African exports. So, okay, Obama has now been on this trip, it has been a success, I think. He said the right things but ultimately people will look back at these two terms in office and see he hasn't really championed the cause of Africa globally.

Liesl Louw-Vaudran is an expert on the African Union at the Institute of Security Studies in Pretoria

Interview: Isaac Mugabi