(Accra) U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced a $1 billion initiative in Ghana on Wednesday to improve women’s economic empowerment in Africa after the first leg of her tour of the continent concludes.
Ms. Harris’ office unveiled the largely privately funded program in the capital Accra. In the process, the American vice-president left Ghana to go to Tanzania.
Scheduled to last until April 2, his tour of Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia comes after a United States-Africa summit in December in Washington, during which President Joe Biden advocated forging a broad partnership with the Africa, at a time when the United States seeks to assert its presence on the continent in the face of the growing influence of China and Russia.
Ms. Harris has already announced several aid measures, including $139 million for economic and cultural development in Ghana and $100 million investment in coastal West African countries facing the risk of spillovers. jihadist violence from the Sahel.
The African Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative includes nearly $400 million from the private sector “to help close the digital gender gap.”
“Improving the economic status of women and girls is not only a matter of human rights, justice and equity, it is also a strategic imperative that reduces poverty and promotes sustainable economic growth said the US vice president’s office.
More than $500 million from the private sector will also be used to support the economic empowerment of women in Africa, according to the statement.
On Tuesday, the Vice President called for more investment in innovation in Africa, particularly in the digital economy, good governance and democracy.
“We are ‘all in’ on Africa,” she added, echoing Joe Biden’s words during the US-Africa Summit last year.
Ms. Harris is due later in the week in Zambia, the final leg of her Africa tour.
