In his speech today, President Obama emphasized the importance of having strong democratic institutions. “Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions,” Obama said.

While democracy takes on different forms from nation to nation, one thing is clear, Obama said: “Governments that respect the will of their own people… are more prosperous, they are more stable and more successful than governments that do not.”

Democracy is more than holding elections, Obama said. “It’s also about what happens between elections.” Nations with strong institutions that respect independent judiciaries, police forces and press are key to democracy, “because that is what matters in people’s everyday lives,” Obama said.

If you’re interested in democratic issues, I recommend you check out America.gov’s blog, By The People.

In his speech at Cairo University, President Obama said that in today’s interconnected world, “any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail.” Instead, nations need to work in partnership so that our “progress must be shared.”
The president outlined seven issues “we must finally confront together.” Here is what they are and a brief comment the president made about each one:

1. Violent extremism: “America is not – and never will be – at war with Islam. … We reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women and children.”

2. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict: “If we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth: The only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security.”

3. Securing nuclear weapons: “This is not simply about America’s interests. It’s about preventing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that could lead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path.”

4. Democracy: “No system of government can or should be imposed by one nation by any other. That does not lessen my commitment, however, to governments that reflect the will of the people.”

5. Religious freedom: “Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which we protect it.”

6. Women’s rights: “Issues of women’s equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam … the struggle for women’s equality continues in many aspects of American life, and in countries around the world.”

7. Economic development and opportunity: “There need not be contradictions between development and tradition.”

A summary and full transcript of the president’s speech is available on America.gov.