Obaman joins Bush at Tanzania memorial
Source: Agencies |
July 3, 2013, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
US Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican predecessor President George W. Bush found common ground in Tanzania yesterday, honoring the victims of a terrorist attack in an unprecedented chance encounter a world away from home.
The presidents had a brief, silent appearance together at a monument to victims of the 1998 embassy bombing in Dar es Salaam, where Bush coincidentally happened to be as Obama wrapped up a weeklong tour of Africa. While the two US leaders didn't say anything publicly, their wives engaged in a warm and chatty joint appearance at a summit on African women.
Initially the two presidents weren't even planning to meet while in town, but first lady Michelle Obama joked as she sat next to her predecessor: "They're learning from us."
The Obamas departed Africa for home shortly after crossing paths with the Bushes, who were hosting the summit promoting the role of African first ladies in bringing change to their countries. Bush ended up joining Obama for the wreath-laying ceremony honoring the Tanzanian victims of the simultaneous attacks at the US embassies in Dar es Salaam and Kenya masterminded by Osama bin Laden.
Obama and Bush bowed their heads as a Marine placed the wreath of red, white and blue flowers in front of the large stone memorial on the grounds of the new US Embassy. After a few moments, they shook hands with survivors of the attack and relatives of those killed before returning to the embassy.
Obama announced a program to bring more power to Africans without access to electricity. During a visit to a local power plant built with a US grant, Obama demonstrated a soccer ball designed to bring power to communities off the power grid.
The SOCCKET ball, developed by two Harvard graduates, has a pendulum-like mechanism inside that creates kinetic energy during play and stores it. Its maker says 30 minutes of play can power a simple LED lamp for three hours.
Obama kicked the ball off his foot and did a low header. "We're going to start getting these all around Africa," Obama said.
In remarks afterward, he touted the "Power Africa" electricity program as a win-win for Africans and US companies.
The presidents had a brief, silent appearance together at a monument to victims of the 1998 embassy bombing in Dar es Salaam, where Bush coincidentally happened to be as Obama wrapped up a weeklong tour of Africa. While the two US leaders didn't say anything publicly, their wives engaged in a warm and chatty joint appearance at a summit on African women.
Initially the two presidents weren't even planning to meet while in town, but first lady Michelle Obama joked as she sat next to her predecessor: "They're learning from us."
The Obamas departed Africa for home shortly after crossing paths with the Bushes, who were hosting the summit promoting the role of African first ladies in bringing change to their countries. Bush ended up joining Obama for the wreath-laying ceremony honoring the Tanzanian victims of the simultaneous attacks at the US embassies in Dar es Salaam and Kenya masterminded by Osama bin Laden.
Obama and Bush bowed their heads as a Marine placed the wreath of red, white and blue flowers in front of the large stone memorial on the grounds of the new US Embassy. After a few moments, they shook hands with survivors of the attack and relatives of those killed before returning to the embassy.
Obama announced a program to bring more power to Africans without access to electricity. During a visit to a local power plant built with a US grant, Obama demonstrated a soccer ball designed to bring power to communities off the power grid.
The SOCCKET ball, developed by two Harvard graduates, has a pendulum-like mechanism inside that creates kinetic energy during play and stores it. Its maker says 30 minutes of play can power a simple LED lamp for three hours.
Obama kicked the ball off his foot and did a low header. "We're going to start getting these all around Africa," Obama said.
In remarks afterward, he touted the "Power Africa" electricity program as a win-win for Africans and US companies.
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