Obama pledges to help raise 5 percent of Africa's population out of poverty

(Image credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

published 28 July 2015

President Obama pledged to help raise 50 million Africans out of poverty during his Tuesday address at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — the equivalent of 5 percent of Africa's population. His speech marked the first time that a sitting American president has addressed the African Union.

"Many Africans are crowded into shantytowns without power or running water — a level of poverty that's an assault on human dignity," Obama said.

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"No one would put out a football team and just play half the team," Obama said. "The same is true when it comes to giving everyone an education. You can't leave half the team off."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.