4:3 US President Obama leaves Senegal for South Africa

(28 Jun 2013) 1. Mid of US President Barack Obama shaking hands with officials 2. Wide of Obama and Senegalese President Macky Sall on red carpet, military band plays US national anthem 3. Mid of Obama and Sall 4. Wide of Obama and Sall 5. Mid of Obama and Sall as military band plays Senegalese national anthem 6. Various of Obama and Sall in front of military band 7. Various of Obama and Sall walking on red carpet towards plane 8. US presidential couple saying goodbye to Sall and officials 9. Close of Sall 10. Various of Obamas boarding plane 11. Mid of Sall 12. Obamas waving and entering plane 13. Various of plane taking off STORYLINE: President Barack Obama left Senegal on Friday, en route for South Africa, continuing his first major tour of the continent as the US's first African-American president. Obama is on a three-country visit to Africa that US officials hope might help to make up for what is seen by some as years of neglect by his administration. He is not thought to have yet left a lasting policy legacy for the continent on the scale of his two predecessors, Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, who passed innovative Africa initiatives while in the White House and passionately continue their development work in the region in their presidential afterlife. Obama's efforts for Africa have not been so ambitious, despite his personal ties to the continent. Even so, spirited crowds greeted Obama on his visit to French-speaking Senegal, Africa's westernmost country, with revellers frequently breaking into song and dance at the sight of the first African-American president. However thrilled they were to see him, many said they wish his visits weren't so rare. One of Bush's chief foreign policy successes was his aid to Africa, including AIDS relief credited with saving millions of lives and grants to reward developing countries for good governance. Bush followed on momentum on African policy that began under Clinton, who allowed several dozen sub-Saharan countries to export to the US duty-free. Obama has continued the Bush and Clinton programmes during tough economic times, but his signature Africa policy thus far has been food security, through less prominent programs designed to address hunger with policy reforms and private investment in agriculture. Before leaving Senegal on Friday, Obama toured displays in small thatched booths at his hotel grounds on a bluff overlooking the ocean, meeting with farmers and entrepreneurs who are using new methods and technologies to advance the cause of food security. At Dakar airport, after saying his goodbyes to officials, Obama stood with Senegalese President Macky Sall on a red carpet as the military band played their respective national anthems. The presidential couple then boarded Air Force One for the flight to Johannesburg. It is thought the US president may visit former South African leader Nelson Mandela who is currently ailing in a hospital in the South African capital, but Obama has said he will respect the families wishes regarding that possibility. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...