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| U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama tour the jail where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island, near Cape Town, June 30, 2013. |
U.S. President Barack Obama has visited South Africa's Robben Island,
the prison where Nelson Mandela spent nearly 20 years for fighting to
overturn the country's apartheid regime.
The president, who visited the island in 2006 as a U.S. senator, was accompanied this time by first lady Michelle Obama and the couple's daughters.
The first family saw the small jail cell where Mandela was held, as well as the limestone quarry where he and other leaders of the African National Congress were forced to work.
The tour was led by 83-year-old Ahmed Kathrada, another anti-apartheid activist and former Robben Island inmate.
Obama will next give a speech at the University of Cape Town, outlining his administration's steps toward building stability and prosperity in Africa.
He will announce a new program to double access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa, and unveil plans for a summit of leaders from the region next year in Washington.
On Saturday, Obama met with relatives of Mr. Mandela, who remains in critical condition in a Pretoria hospital.
President Obama has no plans to visit the anti-apartheid icon, but said his moral courage and South Africa's transformation to democracy has been an inspiration to him.
President Obama is in South Africa as part of a week-long visit to Africa to promote trade and economic development.
On Monday, he heads to Tanzania, before returning to Washington late on Tuesday.
Along with his talks with President Jacob Zuma Saturday, Obama announced a new program to bring 500 young Africans to the United States each year for leadership training.
The president, who visited the island in 2006 as a U.S. senator, was accompanied this time by first lady Michelle Obama and the couple's daughters.
The first family saw the small jail cell where Mandela was held, as well as the limestone quarry where he and other leaders of the African National Congress were forced to work.
The tour was led by 83-year-old Ahmed Kathrada, another anti-apartheid activist and former Robben Island inmate.
Obama will next give a speech at the University of Cape Town, outlining his administration's steps toward building stability and prosperity in Africa.
He will announce a new program to double access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa, and unveil plans for a summit of leaders from the region next year in Washington.
On Saturday, Obama met with relatives of Mr. Mandela, who remains in critical condition in a Pretoria hospital.
President Obama has no plans to visit the anti-apartheid icon, but said his moral courage and South Africa's transformation to democracy has been an inspiration to him.
President Obama is in South Africa as part of a week-long visit to Africa to promote trade and economic development.
On Monday, he heads to Tanzania, before returning to Washington late on Tuesday.
Along with his talks with President Jacob Zuma Saturday, Obama announced a new program to bring 500 young Africans to the United States each year for leadership training.
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