Obama’s arrival in Dakar marks the first leg of a three country tour, that also includes South Africa and Tanzania, on a trip where he is expected to focus on deepening economic cooperation with the continent. Obama’s itinerary is subject to change as concerns rise over the ailing health of South Africa’s former president and icon Nelson Mandela. On Thursday, Obama is expected to tour Goree Island, a former slave trading hub off the coast of the capital Dakar, as well as meet the Senegalese President Macky Sall. Senegalese political analyst Fernand Tona told the German press agency DPA that Obama’s visit represented a “gold medal” for Senegal as a functioning democracy. “But we shouldn’t just presume that Senegal’s economy will be boosted as a result of closer ties between Senegal and the United States,” he said. “Senegal would need to pass a lot of reforms in order to attract more American investors. There are still some serious problems in this country.”
