The Obama Moment. European and American Perspectives

24
Introduction
ing financial accountability and the development of the African Standby Force.’ 21
Coordination efforts in order to be effective need to include China; its growing influence
in the continent makes it an indispensable partner.
From a EU perspective, the best legacy that can be hoped for (and actively sought)
from Obama’s presidency is genuine advancement in building an international system
based on norms and rules. Multilateral regimes must be strengthened, and this
calls for universal adherence to common agreed principles of multilateral governance.
To accept the limits of state sovereignty is part of the EU’s founding principles
and is compatible with American internationalism. The challenge ahead is now to
translate the concept of ‘world patriotism’and ‘common humanity’ into universally
accepted rules of global governance. This is not an easy task or a task for one generation.
As President Obama said in his Prague speech on nuclear disarmament: ‘This
goal will not be reached quickly – perhaps not in my lifetime. It will take patience
and persistence.’ 22
The same can be said of other ambitious objectives of their common agenda, but
it is the ability to integrate their actions in the present with their ambitions for the
future that will allow the international community to take full advantage of the
Obama moment.
21. See chapter by Alex Vines and Tom Cargill on ‘Obama’s sub-Saharan Africa policy: implications for Europe’ in
this volume, pp. 213-225.
22. Remarks by President Barack Obama, Hradcany Square, Prague, Czech Republic, 5 April 2009.