Obama says US stands with Africa against terror, conflict

PRESIDENT Barack Obama said Tuesday that the United States stood with Africa to defeat terrorism and end conflict, warning that the continent's progress will "depend on security and peace".

"As Africa stands against terror and conflict, I want you to know the United States stands with you," Obama said in a speech to the African Union, highlighting threats ranging from Somalia's Shebab, Boko Haram in Nigeria, insurgents in Mali and Tunisia, and the Uganda-led Lord's Resistance Army rebels in central Africa.

Obama said the United States was backing AU military efforts and saluting the "brave African peacekeepers" battling militants.

"From Somalia and Nigeria, to Mali and Tunisia, terrorists continue to target innocent civilians," he said at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa.

"Many of these groups claim the banner of religion, but hundreds of millions of African Muslims know that Islam means peace. We must call groups like Al-Qaeda, ISIL (Islamic State), Al-Shebab and Boko Haram, we must call them what they are -- murderers."

But he also said that progress was being made.

"Because of the AU force in Somalia, Al-Shebab controls less territory, and the Somali government is growing stronger. In central Africa, the AU-led mission continues to degrade the Lord's Resistance Army," he said.

"In the Lake Chad basin, forces from several nations -- with the backing of the AU --are fighting to end Boko Haram's senseless brutality."

Obama also condemned African leaders who refuse to give up power and urged the continent to end "the cancer of corruption".

"Africa's democratic progress is also at risk when leaders refuse to step aside when their terms end," Obama said, drawing huge applause and cheers from some sections of the audience in the AU's Nelson Mandela hall.

"No one should be president for life," he said.

"Now let me be honest with you: I do not understand this. I am in my second term... I love my work, but under our constitution, I cannot run again. I actually think I'm a pretty good president, I think if I ran again I could win, but I can't," he explained.

"And, I'll be honest with you, I'm looking forward to life after being president. I won't have such a big security detail all the time, it means I can take a walk, it means I can spend time with my family.

"The point is I don't understand why people want to stay so long. Especially when they've got a lot of money," he said, drawing a huge cheer.

Obama singled out Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza -- whose successful bid for a third term provoked weeks of unrest in the small central African nation -- as an example of the dangers of trying to stay put and risking "instability and strife".