At that point, the cheetah looked around at the bottom of the pile and saw a centipede smiling back at him. It's the first time I've been tackled all day. The bottom-line is none of us can afford to sit on the sidelines. Africa still faces daunting challenges. In many African nations, only half of the population can read a story to their children.
Life expectancy remains low and infant mortality high.
Therefore, we must work with Africans to achieve their political and development goals. We must walk with Africans along the road to democratic progress. We must stand with Africans when they encounter unexpected adversity on their sometimes bumpy path. And we must support our African partners through mature and enlightened policies. For today, despite some setbacks, the troubled past is starting to become a dimming shadow for many African nations.