Obama to Use ‘New Media’ to Reach Africa With Ghana Message

By Roger Runningen and Hans Nichols

(Bloomberg) — President Barack Obama will use “new media strategy” in Ghana on July 11 to reach one of the least- developed continents with a message that good governance yields prosperity and stability.

“Africa is part of the grand foreign policy vision” of the Obama administration, and Ghana is an example of a budding democracy on a continent often prone to violence and upheaval, said Michelle Gavin, senior director for Africa at the White House National Security Council.

Obama leaves the G-8 summit in L’Aquila, Italy, Friday to bring his message of good governance and economic progress to Ghana the following day in a major speech to Parliament in the capital of Accra, aides said at a briefing.

Using campaign-style techniques, Obama’s message during his first venture into sub-Saharan Africa will consist of “watch parties” at U.S. embassies, broadcasts in “public spaces” and using social networking sites such as Twitter. He used similar devices to spread his message to the Muslim world in April.

“There’s a very aggressive ‘new media’ strategy” being deployed by the Obama White House to speak to the entire continent of Africa, spokesman Robert Gibbs said at a briefing.

“We believe there’s been an intense amount of interest” in Obama’s visit and the administration is trying to take advantage of that, Denis McDonough, deputy National Security Adviser for strategic communication, said at the same briefing. One of the goals is to encourage ideas and questions from Africans to the president, he said.

Live Broadcast

Obama’s remarks to the Parliament at noon Saturday will be made available for live broadcast to the continent, Gavin said. “There are multiple audiences to be addressed,” she said.

The U.S. president will stress that Ghana is a leading example of a young democracy, citing the December 2008 election in which “power was transferred peacefully,” Gavin told reporters in a conference call.

“Ghana’s not in crisis” on a continent that often is in crisis, she said. Ghana is an example of how “Africans are driving their country forward.”

Obama, joined by first lady Michelle Obama and their two daughters, also planned a stop at the Cape Coast castle, a one- time trading hub for slaves who were sent to the Caribbean and the Americas. Obama is the first black U.S. president; his father was from Kenya.