Barack Obama says "mommy issues" are keeping America from addressing concerns like climate change, education and agriculture.

Key points: Former US president says the country is "confused, blind, shrouded with hate, anger, racism and mommy issues"

Former US president says the country is "confused, blind, shrouded with hate, anger, racism and mommy issues" Mr Obama says climate change, education and agriculture problems can be fixed

Mr Obama says climate change, education and agriculture problems can be fixed The remarks follow Mr Obama's campaign against Republicans at the mid-terms

Speaking at the Obama Foundation summit in Chicago on Monday, the former US president said the country was failing to progress "because we are still confused, blind, shrouded with hate, anger, racism and mommy issues".

The crowd laughed following the statement, which came as Mr Obama commented on Government inaction on climate change.

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Acknowledging the struggles involved with effecting change, Mr Obama explained how politics is the same at every level, from local to international.

The solution, he claimed, lies in finding a way to "do something different" to overcome the hurdles of everyday political life.

Ending his speech at the annual summit, Mr Obama said he remained hopeful of a bright future for America.

"The thing that inspires me … is that this generation behind us is smarter, more sophisticated, more tolerant, more welcoming, more innovative, more creative, certainly than I was," he said.

"I'll go ahead and speak for my whole generation, I think.

"Y'all are ahead of the curve. And you're no less idealistic, in some ways, you're more idealistic.

"And you feel a greater sense of urgency about wrongs that need to be righted."

Mr Obama's speech followed his forceful campaign against Donald Trump in the lead-up to this month's mid-term elections.

Mr Obama and his successor have not spoken since the current President's inauguration in January 2017.

Former first lady Michelle Obama has also spoken out against Mr Trump in her new book, Becoming.

Ms Obama said she was so disappointed by the election of Mr Trump that she "stopped even trying to smile" at his inauguration.

Mr Obama launched the Obama Foundation after leaving office last year, with a view to using community organising and empowerment to make the world a better place.

This year's summit hosted more than 650 young people from Chicago and across the globe, with the theme "common hope, uncommon stories".