AFRICA ( commonwealth Union ) _ Vice President Kamala Harris declared on Sunday that the United States will increase investment in Africa and support economic growth as she began a week-long trip to the continent to counterbalance the impact of competitor China.
China has made considerable investments in Africa in recent years, particularly in the development of the continent’s infrastructure and natural resources. The Wagner Group, a private military contractor, has sent Russian military troops to support governments in a number of countries, which has expanded Russian influence.
Vice President Kamala Harris was greeted by drummers and dancers at the Kotoka International Airport in Ghana, where she began her nine-day trip to Africa. Harris said she intended to work on increasing investments on the continent and facilitating economic growth and opportunity. Given Ghana’s focus on developing ties with the African diaspora and its track record of peaceful democratic power transitions, Harris is off to a fantastic start there. Later, she will travel to Zambia and Tanzania.
An official statement claims that her visit aims to “build on” the December U.S.-Africa meeting in Washington, where President Joe Biden declared that the United States was all in on Africa’s future. The American President has not yet visited Africa, nevertheless.
The United States committed USD 55 billion to Africa over the ensuing three years in December, ahead of a meeting between the two continents. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged $150 million in new humanitarian aid for Africa’s Sahel region during a trip to Niger this month.
Senior U.S. sources claim that Harris will also discuss China’s engagement in debt restructuring as well as China’s role in economic and technology issues in Africa that the US deems concerning.
This week, Harris will visit an old slave fortress where slaves were shipped to America during the era of the slave trade, as well as have a meeting with the president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo.
Prior to arriving in Zambia, her final African trip, on March 31, Harris will first visit Tanzania. During her meeting with the presidents of these countries, she plans to make announcements about initiatives in the public and private sectors.
