No bold pledge resembling 2013’s to end extreme poverty in two decades: U.S. President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech Tuesday night didn’t serve up much on international development cooperation.
On the contrary, Obama spoke of combining “military power with strong diplomacy” — no mention of foreign aid — and asked Congress to authorize the use of force against the Islamic State group.
In a speech largely focused on the economic recovery and other domestic issues, Obama called climate change the greatest threat to future generations and urged world leaders to finalize a climate deal in Paris this December. He called for a “free and open Internet,” promised to “finish the job” of closing the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and suggested U.S. values to “defend free speech and advocate for political prisoners and condemn the persecution of women or religious minorities or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender” make the country safer.
About the author
Rolf RosenkranzRolfRosenkranz
Rolf Rosenkranz has worked as a Global Editor for Devex. Previously, Rolf was managing editor at Inside Health Policy, a subscription-based news service in Washington. He has reported from Africa for the Johannesburg-based Star and its publisher, Independent News & Media, as well as the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, a German daily.