President Obama told an international audience gathered in Washington for the White House’s “development day” on Wednesday that “development isn’t charity.”
“It’s one of the smartest investments we can make in our shared future,” Obama said.
“Sometimes that is a tough argument to make when here in the United States we have big needs of our own,” Obama said. “People wonder why we make those investments. But we don’t question hundreds of millions of dollars in investment in our military,” he said.
Obama said he is proud to oversee the best military in history but that spending on education, healthcare and other social programs in developing countries is also critical to securing the U.S. against terrorism and threats.
“But for us to make a fraction of that investment in schools and clean water and healthcare, that’s why we do it,” he said. “It’s not because we’re not mindful of the needs here in this country, it’s because if we make those investments, we’re also going to be in a better position to protect our country.
“And that’s why as president I have elevated development as a key pillar in our foreign policy,” he said.
