President Obama to South Africa on electricity, Power Africa, don’t even trust the foreign powers, not even the US

President Obama pledged $7 billion in aid to provide electricity to sub-Saharan Africa, as he warned Africans to be wary of exploitation by other countries, including the U.S.

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“I’m calling for America to up our game when it comes to Africa,” Obama said in a speech at the University of Capetown in South Africa, midway through his week long tour of the continent. “We want to unleash the power of entrepreneurship and markets to create opportunity here in Africa.”

Funds from the electricity initiative, nicknamed Power Africa, will be distributed over the next five years to six countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Tanzania.

Obama said the U.S. wants to help Africa without interfering like colonial powers did in the past.

“You will always find the extended hand of a friend in the United States of America,” he said but cautioning them to not trust foreign powers, even the US.

“When we look at what other countries are doing in Africa, I think our only advice is make sure it’s a good deal for Africa,” he told reporters in Johannesburg.

“If somebody says they want to come build something here, are they hiring African workers? If somebody says that they want to help you develop your natural resources, how much of the money is staying in Africa? … Don’t just assume that folks come here and they’re automatically benefiting Africans. And that includes the United States. Ask questions in terms of what we do.”