Festus Mogae, the former president of Botswana, said that Africans love President Barack Obama. They expect a lot from him, especially in encouraging African development of democratic governments, as well as helping to improve Africa’s economies and to respond to climate change.

In the talk in the Biotech Auditorium yesterday, Mogae said that he expects the Obama administration to create a “pro-democracy initiative — one that provides incentives to democratization in Africa.”

“If America believes democracy is good for Africa, it should put its money where its mouth is,” he said. “We want to be helped, not attacked militarily.”

Yesterday, about 30 graduate students, faculty and post docs gathered in Rockefeller Hall to hear Rutgers’ Prof. Julia Livingston speak about her experiences with oncology in Botswana’s hospitals. Livingston spoke as part of Cornell’s Department of Science and Technology Studies’ (STS) colloquium series.

“The colloquium series is an opportunity for graduate students, post docs and faculty to forge ties with related disciplines across campus [through various speakers],” said Prof. Sara Pritchard, science and technology studies, and colloquium series coordinator.