Letter To Barack Obama, President of the United States of America

November 9, 2016

Toronto, Canada

Dear President Obama, I write to you as a global citizen, worried about possible reversals of your remarkable accomplishments during the past eight years. I trust that there are mechanisms for safeguarding these achievements

after you leave office. I am particularly alarmed because in his campaign speeches, President-elect Donald Trump strongly rejected the following international commitments, among others:

* The U.S. commitment to the Paris climate accord;
* The U.S. ban on torture against terrorism suspects which you introduced;
* American landmark diplomatic opening with Cuba;
* The U.S.-Iran nuclear agreement for lifting punishing economic sanctions;
* Trade agreements that might include AGOA which helps African nations to export into the U.S. market.

Dear President, I am not an American, but an African-Canadian. You were nonetheless my Global Leader who pursued important global causes. To the above noted crucial accomplishments, I may add your advice to African leaders, some of whom have been in power for decades. This is how you directly put it to them in Ethiopia in July 2015:

“Sometimes you will hear [African] leaders say ‘I’m the only person who can hold this nation together.’ If that’s true, then that leader has failed to truly build their nation.”

Dear Mr President, hold your head high, as you prepare to leave office. Hopefully some of the noted achievements will survive the new administration. You served your compatriots remarkably well, and inspired millions outside your own borders. I am one of those you touched. You will no doubt continue to inspire us as a Global Private Citizen Barack Obama.

May God bless you,

David Himbara