Former president Barack Obama has said the United States should place greater emphasis on international cooperation rather than acting unilaterally on the global stage.
All nations, including the US, would be “more prosperous and secure” if they focused on cooperation “instead of trying to dominate and bully and squeeze every advantage just because we can,” he said in a speech at the opening of his presidential museum in Chicago on Thursday.
He did not directly mention incumbent President Donald Trump, who is often criticized for his confrontational style.
Obama also stressed that no one is above the law. His new Obama Presidential Center, he said, highlights the importance of the separation of powers, an independent judiciary and a free press.
Former presidents George W Bush, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden attended the ceremony, while Trump was not present.
Obama said, “Every president here today, as different as we are, has tried our best to uphold values” that they all believed in. "Despite all of our differences we can see each other and understand one another and make common cause together."
Former world leaders in attendance
Former German chancellor Angela Merkel made a surprise appearance at the dedication ceremony.
She was joined on stage by other former leaders, including Canada's Justin Trudeau and Italy's Matteo Renzi. Merkel received a standing ovation from the invited guests.
Obama and Merkel share a long-standing working relationship and friendship. His 2013 speech at the Brandenburg Gate alongside her is showcased in the museum as a prime example of Obama’s diplomatic efforts.
Their relationship was by no means flawless, however. The US actually tapped one of Merkel’s mobile phones for a while in 2013.
The chancellor reacted with displeasure at the time: "Spying among friends is a no-go," she chided.
A different kind of presidential centre
The entire campus will officially be open to the public from Friday. Visitors must book tickets for the museum.
The centre's opening coincides with Juneteenth, the June 19th US holiday commemorating the liberation of the African-American population from slavery in 1865.
The centre, housed in a striking concrete tower and a decade in the making, presents stages in the Democrat's life before and after his rise to become the first black president, including his arduous health care overhaul and the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
