Speaking to the Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders this week, President Obama touted the rule of law as vital to a nation's success:
Regardless of the resources a country possesses, regardless of how talented the people are, if you do not have a basic system of rule of law, of respect for civil rights and human rights, if you do not give people a credible, legitimate way to work through the political process to express their aspirations, if you don't respect basic freedom of speech and freedom of assembly... it is very rare for a country to succeed. [Devex]
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