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President Obama:
Good afternoon.
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Mr. Secretary General,
fellow delegates, ladies
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and gentlemen.
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It is a great honor to be
here to address the topic of
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sustainable development.
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In many of our nations,
especially developed
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countries, there is among
our general population a
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genuine compassion
towards those in need.
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There is a recognition of
the grinding poverty that so
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many experience every
day around the world.
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And yet sometimes it's said
that our efforts to combat
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poverty and disease do not
and cannot work, that there
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are some places beyond hope,
that certain people and
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regions are condemned to an
endless cycle of suffering.
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Here, today, we put
those myths to rest.
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Today, we set aside the
skepticism, and we lift up
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the hope that is available
to us through collective action.
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Because the world came
together in an unprecedented
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effort, the global hunger
rate has already been slashed.
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Tens of millions of more
boys and girls are today
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in school.
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Prevention and treatment
of measles and malaria and
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tuberculosis have saved
nearly 60 million lives.
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HIV/AIDS infections and
deaths have plummeted.
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And more than one billion
people have lifted
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themselves up from extreme
poverty -- one billion.
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The entire world can take
enormous pride in these
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historic achievements.
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And so let the skeptics and
cynics know development works.
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Investing in public
health works.
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We can break the
cycle of poverty.
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People and nations can
rise into prosperity.
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Despite the cruelties of our
world and the ravages of
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disease, millions of lives
can be saved if we are
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focused, and if
we work together.
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Cynicism is our enemy.
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A belief, a capacity in the
dignity of every individual,
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and a recognition that we,
each of us, can play a small
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part to play in lifting up
people all around the world
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-- that is the message that
we are sending here today.
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And because of the work of
so many who are assembled
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here today, we can
point to past success.
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And yet, we are also here
today because we understand
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that our work is
nowhere near done.
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We can take pride in what
we've accomplished, but we
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cannot be complacent.
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When eleven boys and girls
die every single minute from
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preventable causes, we know
we have more work to do.
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When hundreds of women die
every single day just from
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having a baby, we know
we have more work to do.
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When tens of millions of
children are still not in
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school, when hundreds of
millions of people have no
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clean water, no toilets, we
have so much more to do.
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Right now, some 800 million
men, women and children are
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scraping by on less
than $1.25 a day.
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Imagine that.
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Gripped by the ache
of an empty stomach.
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Billions of our fellow human
beings are at risk of dying
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from diseases that we
know how to prevent.
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Many children are just one
mosquito bite away from death.
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And that is a moral outrage.
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It is a profound injustice.
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It is literally a matter of
life and death, and now the
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world must act.
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We cannot leave
people behind.
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And so, today, we commit
ourselves to new Sustainable
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Development Goals, including
our goal of ending extreme
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poverty in our world.
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We do so understanding how
difficult the task may be.
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We suffer no illusions
of the challenges ahead.
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But we understand this is
something that we must
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commit ourselves to.
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Because in doing so, we
recognize that our most
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basic bond -- our common
humanity -- compels us to act.
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An impoverished child
in a distant slum or a
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neighborhood not that far
from here is just as equal,
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just as worthy, as any of
our children, as any of us,
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as any head of government or
leader in this great hall.
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We reaffirm that supporting
development is not charity,
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but is instead one of the
smartest investments we can
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make in our own future.
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After all, it is a lack of
development -- when people
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have no education, and no
jobs, and no hope, a feeling
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that their basic human
dignity is being violated --
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that helps fuel so much of
the tensions and conflict
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and instability
in our world.
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And I profoundly believe
that many of the conflicts,
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the refugee crises, the
military interventions over
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the years might have been
avoided if nations had truly
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invested in the lives of
their people, and if the
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wealthiest nations on Earth
were better partners in
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working with those that are
trying to lift themselves up.
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(applause)
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As one of the founders of
the United Nations, Ralph
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Bunche once said, "Peace
is no mere matter of men
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fighting or not fighting.
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Peace, to have
meaning...must be translated
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into bread or rice, shelter,
health, and education."
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I'm here to say that in this
work, the United States will
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continue to be your partner.
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Five years ago, I pledged
here that America would
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remain the global leader in
development, and the United
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States government, in fact,
remains the single largest
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donor of development
assistance, including in
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global health.
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In times of crisis -- from
Ebola to Syria -- we are the
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largest provider of
humanitarian aid.
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In times of disaster and
crisis, the world can count
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on the friendship and
generosity of the
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American people.
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The question before us,
though, as an international
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community, is how do we meet
these new goals that we've
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set today?
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How can we do
our work better?
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How can we stretch our
resources and our funding
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more effectively?
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How can donor countries
be smarter, and how can
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recipient countries do more
with what they receive?
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We have to learn from the
past -- to see where we
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succeeded so that we can
duplicate that success, and
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to understand where we've
fallen short and correct
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those shortcomings.
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And we start by
understanding that this next
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chapter of development
cannot fall victim to the
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old divides between
developed nations and
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developing ones.
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Poverty, growing inequality
exists in all of our
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nations, and all of our
nations have work to do.
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And that includes here
in the United States.
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That's why, after a terrible
recession, my administration
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has worked to keep millions
of families from falling
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into poverty.
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That's why we've brought
quality, affordable health
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care to more than 17
million Americans.
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Here in this country, the
wealthiest nation on Earth,
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we're still working every
day to perfect our union,
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and to be more equal and
more just, and to treat the
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most vulnerable members of
our society with value
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and concern.
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That's why, today, I am
committing the United States
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to achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals.
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(applause)
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And as long as I am
President, and well after
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I'm done being President, I
will keep fighting for the
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education and housing and
health care and jobs that
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reduce inequality and create
opportunity here in the
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United States and
around the world.
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(applause)
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Because this is not just the
job of politicians; this is
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work for all of us.
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This next chapter of
development cannot just be
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about what governments
spend, it has to harness the
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unprecedented resources of
our interconnected world.
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In just a few short years --
in the areas of health, and
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food security, and energy
-- my administration has
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committed and helped
mobilize more than $100
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billion to promote
development and save lives.
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More than $100 billion.
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And guided by the new
consensus we reached in
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Addis, I'm calling
on others to join us.
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More governments, more
institutions, more
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businesses, more
philanthropies, more NGOs,
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more faith communities, more
citizens -- we all need to
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step up with the will and
the resources and the
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coordination to
achieve our goals.
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This must be the
work of the world.
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At the same time, this next
chapter of development must
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focus not simply on the
dollars we spend, but on the
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results that we achieve.
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And this demands new
technologies and approaches,
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accountability, data,
behavioral science --
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understanding that there's
lessons that we have
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learned, best practices on
how people actually live so
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that we can dramatically
improve outcomes.
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It means breaking cycles of
dependence by helping people
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become more self-sufficient
-- not just giving people
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fish, but teaching
them how to fish.
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That's the purpose
of development.
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Rather than just sending
food during famine --
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although we have to do that
to avert starvation -- we
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also have to bring new
techniques and new seeds and
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new technologies to more
farmers so they can boost
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their yields and increase
their incomes, feed more
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people and lift countless
millions out of poverty.
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Rather than just respond
to outbreaks like Ebola --
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although we have to do that,
and we have -- let's also
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strengthen public health
systems and advance global
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health security to prevent
epidemics in the first place.
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As more countries take
ownership of their HIV/AIDS
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programs, the United States
is setting two new bold goals.
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Over the next two years,
we'll increase the number of
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people that our funding
reaches -- so that nearly 13
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million people with HIV/AIDS
get lifesaving treatment --
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and we'll invest $300
million to help achieve a 40
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percent reduction in new HIV
infections among young women
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and girls in the hardest-hit
areas of sub-Saharan Africa.
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(applause)
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And I believe we can do
that -- the first
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AIDS-free generation.
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(applause)
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This next chapter of
development must also
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unleash economic growth --
not just for a few at the
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top, but inclusive,
sustainable growth that
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lifts up the
fortunes of the many.
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We know the ingredients
for creating jobs and
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opportunity -- they
are not a secret.
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So let's embrace reforms
that attract trade and
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investment to areas that are
in need of investment and in
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need of trade.
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Let's trade and build more
together, make it easier for
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developing countries to sell
more of their goods around
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the world.
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And let's invest in our
greatest resource -- our
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people -- their
education, their skills.
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Let's invest in innovative
entrepreneurs, the striving
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young people who embrace new
technology and are starting
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businesses and can ignite
new industries that change
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the world.
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I have met young people on
every continent, and they
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can lead the way if we give
them the tools they need.
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Our new development
goals are ambitious.
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But thanks to the good work
of many of you, they are
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achievable -- if we work
together; if we meet our
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responsibilities
to each other.
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I believe that.
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The progress of recent
years gives us hope.
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We know what works.
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We know how to do this.
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But perhaps because this
is now my seventh year of
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addressing the General
Assembly, I tend to be
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more blunt.
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Along with the gray hair,
I'm becoming more likely to
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speak my mind.
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(laughter)
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So indulge me when I say
that we will never achieve
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our goals if we do not
squarely confront several
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insidious threats to the
dignity and well-being of
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people around the world.
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No matter how much hard
work is done by development
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agencies, no matter how
large the donations and
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commitments that are made by
donor countries, if we don't
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take care of some other
elements of development, we
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will not meet the
goals that we've set.
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Number one, development
is threatened by bad governance.
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Today, we affirm what we
know to be true from decades
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of experience -- development
and economic growth that is
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truly sustainable and
inclusive depends on
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governments and institutions
that care about their
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people, that are
accountable, that respect
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human rights and deliver
justice for everybody and
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not just some.
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So, in the face of
corruption that siphons
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billions away from
schools and hospitals and
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infrastructure into foreign
bank accounts, governments
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have to embrace transparency
and open government and rule
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of law.
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And combating illicit
finance must be a global
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effort because it is part
of our development effort.
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And citizens and civil
society groups must be free
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to organize and speak their
mind and work for progress,
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because that's how countries
develop; that's how
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countries succeed.
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Development is also
threatened by inequality.
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And this is a political
debate that we have in this
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country, so I just want
to be clear, this is not
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something from which the
United States is immune to.
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Every country has to
grapple with this issue.
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The wealthiest and most
powerful in our societies
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oftentimes like to keep
things as they are, and they
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often have disproportionate
political influences.
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When poor children are more
likely to get sick and die
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than children in wealthier
neighborhoods just across
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town; when rural families
are more likely to go
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without clean water; when
ethnic and religious
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minorities, or people with
disabilities, or people of
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00:17:33,685 --> 00:17:36,825
different sexual
orientations are
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discriminated against or
can't access education and
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opportunity -- that
holds all of us back.
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And so, in all of our
countries, we have to invest
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in the interventions that
allow us to reach more
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people -- because no one
should be left behind just
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because of where they live
or what they look like.
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Development is threatened by
old attitudes, especially
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those that deny rights
and opportunity to women.
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In too many places, girls
are less likely to be in
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school than boys.
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00:18:11,323 --> 00:18:13,723
Globally, women are less
likely to have a job than
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men and are more likely
to live in poverty.
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I've said this before and I
will keep repeating it --
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one of the best indicators
of whether a country will
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succeed is how it
treats its women.
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(applause)
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When women have an
education, when women have a
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job, their children are more
likely to get an education,
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their families are healthier
and more prosperous.
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Their communities and
countries do better, as well.
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So every nation -- all of
our nations -- must invest
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in the education and health
and skills of our women
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and girls.
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And I have to say I do not
have patience for the excuse
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of, well, we have our own
ways of doing things.
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(applause)
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We understand that there is
a long tradition in every
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society of discriminating
against women.
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But that's not an excuse for
taking a new path in order
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to make sure that
everyone in a society
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has opportunity.
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Development is threatened
if we do not recognize the
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incredible dynamism and
opportunity of today's Africa.
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Hundreds of millions of
Africans still struggle in
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the face of grinding poverty
and deadly diseases, daily
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assaults on their
lives and dignity.
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But I visited Africa
recently, and what I saw
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gave me hope and I know
should give you hope,
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because that continent has
made impressive gains in
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health and education.
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It is one of the
fastest-growing regions of
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the world, with a
rising middle class.
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And during my travels,
Africans -- especially young
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Africans -- tell me they
don't just want aid, they
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want trade.
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They want businesses.
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They want investment.
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So I call on the world to
join us as we mobilize
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billions of dollars in new
trade and investment and
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development in Africa -- and
that includes Power Africa,
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our initiative to bring
electricity and greater
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opportunity to more than 60
million African homes
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and businesses.
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If we get Africa fulfilling
its full potential, that
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will help the entire
global economy.
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Everyone here
will be helped.
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It's not a zero-sum game.
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We are invested
in their success.
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(applause)
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Development is
threatened by war.
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This should be a simple
proposition, but it
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00:21:07,466 --> 00:21:08,466
bears repeating.
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It is no coincidence that
half of the people living in
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extreme poverty around
the world live in places
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afflicted by chronic
violence and conflict.
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Today, some 60 million men,
women and children have been
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forced from their homes,
many by conflicts in the
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Middle East and in Africa.
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These are humanitarian
crises and refugees that we
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cannot ignore, and we have
to deliver the urgent aid
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that is needed right now.
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And those countries that can
must do more to accommodate
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refugees, recognizing that
those children are just
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like ours.
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But our efforts must be
matched by the hard work of
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diplomacy and reconciliation
to end conflicts that so
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often tear societies apart.
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And as I said earlier, war
and conflict is more likely
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to arise where we have bad
governance, and we have high
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inequality, and we have
discrimination against
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minority groups and ethnic
groups, and we have low
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educational levels.
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So these things
are all related.
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And finally, development
is threatened by climate change.
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And I want to thank the
Secretary General for the
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extraordinary leadership and
work that he's done on
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this issue.
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(applause)
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All of our countries will
be affected by a
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changing climate.
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But the world's poorest
people will bear the
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00:23:06,218 --> 00:23:10,318
heaviest burden -- from
rising seas and more intense
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droughts, shortages
of water and food.
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We will be seeing
climate change refugees.
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As His Holiness Pope Francis
has rightly implored the
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world, this is
a moral calling.
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In just two months, the
world has an opportunity to
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unite around a strong
global agreement.
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I saw President Hollande
walk in a few moments ago --
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we are going to be
converging in Paris.
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With his leadership, and the
leadership of every world
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00:23:51,897 --> 00:23:55,597
leader, we need to establish
the tools and financing to
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00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:59,810
help developing nations
embrace clean energy, adapt
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00:23:59,805 --> 00:24:02,345
to climate change, and
ensure that there's not a
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00:24:02,340 --> 00:24:05,540
false choice between
economic development and the
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00:24:05,544 --> 00:24:07,714
best practices that
can save our planet.
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We can do the same
at the same time.
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And the communities and
lives of billions of people
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00:24:15,787 --> 00:24:16,957
depend on the
work that we do.
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00:24:16,955 --> 00:24:19,295
(applause)
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00:24:22,327 --> 00:24:27,897
Future generations of young
people watching today and
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00:24:27,899 --> 00:24:32,269
tomorrow will judge us by
the choices we make in the
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00:24:32,270 --> 00:24:33,270
months and years ahead.
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00:24:35,307 --> 00:24:42,517
And one of those young
people is Eva Tolage.
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Eva lives in a
village in Tanzania.
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She's 15 years old, and
she wrote me a letter.
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00:24:48,854 --> 00:24:52,954
Some of you know I get 10
letters a day, mostly from
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inside the United States,
but sometimes
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00:24:55,694 --> 00:25:00,434
international letters.
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00:25:00,432 --> 00:25:02,802
I get 40,000 a
day, but I read 10.
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00:25:02,801 --> 00:25:06,001
(laughter)
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And so Eva told me about
her parents -- farmers who
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00:25:09,641 --> 00:25:11,641
struggle to provide for
their seven children.
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00:25:13,945 --> 00:25:21,055
And this young 15-year-old
girl -- a girl the age of my
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00:25:21,052 --> 00:25:27,522
daughters -- she dreams of
going to college, but with
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00:25:27,525 --> 00:25:31,635
little food to eat, she
explained how it's hard for
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00:25:31,630 --> 00:25:33,630
her sometimes to
concentrate in school.
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00:25:36,134 --> 00:25:39,034
She explained that her house
doesn't have electricity, so
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00:25:39,037 --> 00:25:41,037
it's hard for her
to study at night.
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00:25:43,241 --> 00:25:45,381
It's not because her parents
don't love her and don't
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00:25:45,377 --> 00:25:46,577
have ambitions for her.
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00:25:46,578 --> 00:25:50,318
Her father works incredibly
hard in the fields to pay
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00:25:50,315 --> 00:25:51,315
for her education.
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00:25:55,353 --> 00:25:57,353
But they just need
a little help.
411
00:25:59,424 --> 00:26:01,424
"I won't let him
down," Eva said.
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"I'll do whatever it takes,"
she said in her letter.
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00:26:05,664 --> 00:26:07,834
And then, knowing that we
would be gathered at this
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summit to help lift up
families like hers, she
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00:26:10,468 --> 00:26:12,938
asked me a question that
could be asked of all of our
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00:26:12,938 --> 00:26:18,948
nations -- "What will
you commit to doing...?"
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00:26:18,944 --> 00:26:19,944
What will you do?
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00:26:24,716 --> 00:26:28,556
And there are billions of
boys and girls just like Eva.
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They're just like
our children.
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They have as much talent and
as much hope for the future.
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00:26:36,861 --> 00:26:40,701
And they're willing to work
hard, and their parents love
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00:26:40,699 --> 00:26:42,699
them just as much
as we love ours.
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00:26:42,701 --> 00:26:48,011
And just by the accident of
birth, it's so much more
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difficult for them to
achieve their dreams as it
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00:26:52,043 --> 00:26:54,583
is for our children.
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00:26:54,579 --> 00:26:57,519
But in the eyes of God,
they are the same children.
427
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They're just as important.
428
00:26:59,651 --> 00:27:02,651
And for Eva, and all those
just trying to survive
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00:27:02,654 --> 00:27:05,524
another day in conditions
that many of us can barely
430
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imagine, it can sometimes
seem as if the world is
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00:27:09,894 --> 00:27:13,694
blind to their struggles
and their dreams.
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00:27:13,698 --> 00:27:18,238
And so today, I say to Eva
and hundreds of millions --
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billions -- like
her: We see you.
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00:27:20,238 --> 00:27:22,778
We hear you.
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00:27:22,774 --> 00:27:24,514
I've read your letter.
436
00:27:24,509 --> 00:27:27,809
And we commit ourselves --
as nations, as one world --
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00:27:27,812 --> 00:27:30,452
to the urgent work
that must be done.
438
00:27:30,448 --> 00:27:33,448
To standing with families
like Eva's as they work and
439
00:27:33,451 --> 00:27:35,521
strive for a better life.
440
00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,820
To ending the injustice
of extreme poverty.
441
00:27:38,823 --> 00:27:41,723
To upholding the inherent
dignity of every human being.
442
00:27:41,726 --> 00:27:44,026
Whatever it takes.
443
00:27:44,029 --> 00:27:46,669
We can't let them down.
444
00:27:46,664 --> 00:27:52,704
And with your
help, we won't.
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00:27:52,704 --> 00:27:53,634
Thank you very much.
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00:27:53,638 --> 00:27:56,338
(applause)
